


Link's Ascension

by manga_ranga



Series: The Games of Primal Deities [3]
Category: Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Legend of Zelda: Oracle Games, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Child Timeline, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-28
Updated: 2016-06-23
Packaged: 2018-01-26 21:25:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 38
Words: 91,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1703057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manga_ranga/pseuds/manga_ranga
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part 3 of 3, explores the various clans of Ikana and how they live in Termina. A few years have passed since Link defeated Majora, he is mysteriously reunited with Navi during his travels. Navi has emerged with a grave warning of evil threatening Hyrule. In order to defeat it, he must unveil the mysteries of the Ikana in order to save his homeland from the threat of a primal deity who plagued Termina long ago, Bellum. Realising that he must face the powers of a god that can defy the Triforce and the Golden Goddesses, Link has to seek unusual alliances to save Zelda and Hyrule from their accursed fates.</p>
<p>Please note these stories can be read out of sync and still make sense.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Some may find this tale familiar as I have completely rewritten it to be... more in canon with Legend of Zelda.
> 
> Please note that the clans of Ikana are to be regarded as the Termina equivalent of mix between the Dark Interlopers and Twili from Hyrule.  
> Termina is also regarded as a parallel dimension seperate to Hyrule, allowing certain characters to be reincarnated in a variety of ways (as seen in game).  
> The concept of wild deities arose from the Majora's Mask manga by Akira Himekawa.
> 
> The story takes place in both Hyrule and Termina.  
> Timeline wise this takes place a few years after Majora's Mask, but eras before the events of Twilight Princess.

_Our tale began long ago, before Majora’s Mask tried to throw the moon into Termina…_

_Back in the era of arcana, where Termina had mastered all manner of sorcery and magic._

_The Terminans divided into the commoners and the magically gifted, the Ikana._

_The Ikana, with their knowledge of light, built their kingdom in the eastern valley._

_However as their wisdom grew they also became entwined with an obsession of darkness._

_Soon enough the kingdom was divided between those who worshipped the Golden Goddesses and those who worshipped the Giants._

_The followers of the Light proudly kept the name of Ikana who sought to keep their counterparts confined to the Eastern Valley._

_The wielders of Darkness became known as the Dark Interlopers or Gomess who grew obsessed with the Twilight Realm._

_What followed was inevitable as each side regarded the other’s gods as feeble and weak compared to their own._

_Out of hatred, the Gomess constructed the Stone Towers to act as a portal to the sacred realm to spite the Ikana._

_The Golden Goddesses intervened when they cursed their temples and tried to damn the Gomess._

_This intervention did not end the tribe, as it merely opened a portal to the Twilight Realm, the home of the wild deities._

_It was in this land they discovered the mask of the Man Eater, the remains of a primal god._

_The emergence of this mask only ignited a long brewing feud as war was declared._

_Neither the Ikana nor the Gomess were willing to negotiate._

_They did not even realise the Stone Towers had created a gate to Termina._

_They did nothing as various wild deities migrated to Termina amidst the confusion._

_They did not stop fighting, even as the plague bringer, Bellum, invaded Termina._

_One Gomess proved to be different as she was Majora, the chosen of the Eastern Giant._

_Equipped with forbidden knowledge of darkness, she joined forces with the Deku, Goron and Zora to banish Bellum._

_She led them to become the chosen of the remaining Giants and to be capable of calling upon the masked shadows of each primal god._

_They were victorious in their endeavours, they banished Bellum and saved Termina from a terrible fate._

_Upon her return to Ikana, Majora was still faced with the same war._

_Although her recent conquest had made her the target of a sinister plot by Arch Mage Zant._

_Her soul was shattered as he tore out her malice to become an imp for him to control._

_Donning the mask of the Man Eater, the imp played along until the opportune moment._

_When both the Ikana and the Gomess leaders were gathered on the battlefield._

_The Imp unleashed a curse upon both clans, using that accursed mask as a catalyst._

_The Ikana were mutated into the undead, doomed to be shunned by their beloved their goddesses._

_The Gomess were exiled to the Twilight Realm to suffer a hellish fate at the hands of the demons that dwelled there._

_In Ikana’s darkest hour, Majora confronted her other self and the monster influencing her._

_She played the Song of Healing and sealed away the demonic man-eater as well as her imp into its mask once more._

_For reasons unknown she then plunged into the abyss of the Stone Towers, sealing the stronghold of her tribe from unwanted visitors._

_The mask of the man-eater gained a new name that day, Majora’s Mask._

_Many eons have passed and Majora’s Mask had surfaced once more._

_This time falling into the hands of a broken deity, who had lost all sense of their self._

_Out of loneliness and driven to the brink of insanity by the Man Eater, he sought to crash the moon into Termina._

_The puppet was saved and the Man Eater was thwarted once more by a hero from a distant world._

_The lingering ripples of this event have flowed through time._

_As Majora’s Mask had bound the Giants to their wrathful shadows, Bellum’s imprisonment beyond the veil of time and space had also weakened._

_Although the parasitic monster could not return to Termina, it was not forbidden to manifest in the realms of the Golden Goddesses._

_And so another game among the primal deities has begun…_


	2. Reunion

How long had it been since Link last saw Hyrule? Days had blurred into months, then years. Alone with his trusty steed Epona, he had travelled far and wide in search of Navi. Even though he was not a Kokiri and therefore did not need a fairy, he could not forget her. She had been with him through all of Ganondorf’s schemes to claim the Triforce. Yet after that final fight and returning to his original timeline she left without a word. Her movements were caught in a trance that left her silent even when he called for her. The fact that she had disappeared so suddenly concerned him. He feared that his final fight with Ganon and the exposure to his dark aura had hurt Navi.

When Link arrived back in Temple of Time, he could not pursue Navi immediately. He had to warn Zelda of the possible future in store for Hyrule. The possession of the Kokiri Emerald as well as the crest of the Triforce of courage on the back of his hand validated his story. However upon their meeting where she treated him as a perfect stranger was a stab to his heart. Instead Princess Zelda listened to his tale and immediately went to inform her father about the matter. He could still remember her return in the castle courtyard. She merely entrusted him with the Ocarina of Time and the Song of Time along with the instructions to hide it. After all, she would need more time before her father saw the truth. At least with the ocarina missing, Ganondorf would have no way of entering the sacred realm.

Within the week he was on the road, fleeing Hyrule as a wandering swordsman albeit a very young one. Hyrule would be saved from the future Link experienced when the Gerudo king claimed the Triforce. Such a fact was the only cold comfort he had on his lonely journey. The effects of the Ocarina of Time seemed to allow Link to retain his memories of alternate timelines. Everything he had experienced had never really happened. All the people he’d befriended treated him as an outsider. If anything that drove him to find Navi again.

He had now been searching for five or maybe six years, his travels had taken him through Hyrule’s outer provinces and to the lands of Termina, Holodrum and Labryanna. Although his journey had strengthened his skill with a blade, he had still not found any trace of Navi. With a heavy heart, he finally steered Epona towards Hyrule. His time in exile had worn him down and all he wanted were the comforts of home. The rural plains of Ordona province came into view. It was mostly peaceful farmlands on the edge of thick forests. A few farms were scattered around the grasslands but there was no proper town to take shelter in.

Link found a suitable place to rest by the river in the early morning light. In the distance he could already see farmers beginning their routines of tending to their crops and herds. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the river, noticing how he had become a young man during his time away. His blue eyes reflected a maturity beyond his physical age. He thrust one of his hands into the water, dissipating his reflection. Gazing at the back of his hand now, it felt like a lifetime ago when the Triforce of courage appeared on it. Oddly in the months that followed his departure from Hyrule it seemed to weaken then vanished completely. He now wondered if anyone would even remember him upon his return. Epona neighed in the background as she fed on some nearby grass. Time had turned her into a fine steed for any legendary hero. Link splashed cold water over his face to fight off sleepiness.

He glanced over at his travelling pack, the sheathed gilded blade and the sorrowful face of the mirror shield leant on it. Memories of his time in Termina came to mind, for it was in that land that he found that decagonal shield in the haunted kingdom of Ikana. The blacksmith, Zubora, from the northern peaks was responsible for transforming his humble Kokiri blade into the gilded sword that had kept him safe from foes. Now he was thankful he could wield the long sword with one hand easily. Briefly he thought of Skull Kid, Tatl and Tael, wondering what had become of them since he defeated Majora’s Mask.

As morning broke and the land was bathed in sunlight, Link rode down the main trail. For the most part the farmers ignored him, too preoccupied with tending to their crops and herds. The trail eventually led back through a verdant forest, known to Ordona as the Faron Woods. That particular region appeared to be the main path linking Hyrule to the outer provinces. It was also the first forest Link had seen that was devoid of any kind of magic. Unlike the Lost Woods, the plants here were vibrant and you could even see the sky watching the ground with curiosity beyond the treetops. The wind had a similar scent to the Kokiri Forest. The air here was clear of any fairies and magical sprites that were abundant in the Kokiri village due to the Great Deku Tree’s magic.

The path narrowed with the presence of ancient cliffs. Epona crushed the snapping jaws of Deku Babas with ease as she galloped onwards. The tunnel ended in a glade occupied by a spring of shimmering water. The trail continued on the opposite side and went deeper into the forest. The waters rippled around collections of strangely carved stones. Softly curved lines wove and danced along the surface of the rocks, yet it was difficult to tell what manner of creature had engraved them this way. The water also looked much clearer than any source of water Link had seen before. He furrowed his brow, recalling seeing this same spring years ago. The fact it seemed locked in time and unchanging felt peculiar to him. From spending his childhood in the forest, he had learnt from a young age that nature was a being of change and growth. To see a place like this only concerned him as he steered Epona towards the trail and away from the water.

 “L…Li..nk…”

He stopped at the sound of that weary voice, it sounded just like Navi. Immediately dismounting, he looked around for the source of the sound. His hand did not stray far from the handle of his sword.

 “Link… is that you? You look so different.”

The water of the spring rippled, a ball of light danced from its surface and soared over his head. Finally slowing its pace, translucent wings emerged as it took the familiar shape of a fairy. The light then took on a soft blue colour.

Link could hardly believe his eyes “Navi? Is that really you!?”

 “Yes Link, I’m sorry I left you without explanation,” her wings drooped “Ganon’s evil was so strong… I needed to purge myself of his aura so I came here.” She floated over the surface of the water “There are springs like this hidden within the provinces of Hyrule. No one knows where they came from and they have a tendency to disappear then reappear as the land shifts, but they are said to be enchanted by spirits of light.” She dove through the water and emerged before him “Being immersed in these waters… it was the only to cleanse my soul and be free of his evil.”

 “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Finding you has kept me going for the past few years.”

Navi observed him, he still wore that same green hat that allowed his untidy bangs to part around his face. He had grown beyond a humble Kokiri tunic as well, now favouring the clothes of a wandering swordsman. A faint glimmer of chainmail was present beneath the collar of his dark green surcoat. Tights were tucked into his high leather boots. His forearms were protected by leather bracers with a pair of fingerless gloves concealing his hands. Despite the changes to him, two things remained the same, the first being the presence of green in his clothes and the second were his eyes.

The fairy felt overwhelmed with a mix of pride and happiness “And you’ve become a fine hero in your own right. I bet you’ve done a lot of good deeds in that time.”

 “A few,” he laughed to himself “I still can’t believe I’ve finally found you. I don’t know what to say… Saria told me that when fairies leave they return to the heavens. For so long I didn’t want to believe it…”

 “I did ascend to the heavens and sadly my emergence is not a happy one.” Navi’s wings tilted with low ringing tune “I fear a monster has set its sights on Hyrule, the only thing I know about this evil is that it’s cunning and strikes from shadows. The only detail of its appearance is that it has golden eyes.”

 “Then we make haste to the castle, Zelda must be warned.”

Link mounted Epona once more and galloped off into the distance. His mind was a whirlpool of elation from being reunited with Navi, yet consumed with panic from the threat to his homeland. Even after all these years, he still found that the very suggestion of Zelda in danger was enough to send him to her side. He rode on through the morning light as Faron Woods passed in a blur. He knew he could make it to the castle by nightfall if he kept this pace.

 

* * *

 

At that moment, in another forest lost to the realm of the Golden Goddesses. The Woods of Mystery shared that familiar comfort of a home to Skull Kid. The scent of an ancient forest was hard to miss with such acute senses. He had found a similar atmosphere in the Lost Woods of Hyrule. Even to this day he did not understand why he found solace in such places. He could not for the life of him recall any memories of his true past or even his family. Only faint slivers of befriending the Giants of Termina, a Hylian who lived among the Kokiri named Link and two wayward fairies, remained fresh in his mind.

Since the thwarted wrath of Majora’s Mask, Skull Kid had assumed a new life by tagging along with wayward wanderers of Termina. They appeared to be in tune with the ancient ways of magic that made him feel at ease. The presence of such power would have typically scared away most, but to him. This ability to wield darkness and the elements was normal to him. He also suspected by staying with them he could learn more of his lost memories given that it was suggested that he was a wild deity. A type of immortal who had migrated to Termina from the Twilight Realm, each was diverse possessing a variety of forms and powers.

He had met with two such wild deities who chose to dwell in the mortal coil. The Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm who reincarnates as a mortal named Veran along with Twinrova, a higher arcane wild deity who lived in the swamps in the form of two witches. Standing in that glade now, he could not fathom how old it truly was. The plants here were reminiscent of a distant era before any part of Termina was civilised. Amidst the flora was a pillar of jet black stone etched with angular patterns. Half were coloured red and the other side was blue. All the lines and elaborate flourishes met in the centre to create a visage of Majora’s Mask upon the surface of the black gemstone. It stood the height and width of a Goron, although its existence was known only to those who had a link with the Twilight Realm.

However how could he possibly even think he was some form of deity? His face was lost to a weave of straw and shadows. Two gleaming balls of light served as his eyes while a beak functioned as his mouth. His frame was small and agile, adorned with all manner of scraps he found littered through the forest. Surely the deities were mistaken that he of all mortals could possess any semblance of power. At least that was what he told himself to drown out the truth. The fact that Majora’s Mask could draw such immense power from him never strayed too far from his mind.

He could still recall his first visit here before the mesmerising crimson and azure patterns of light. They pierced through the black stone and writhed as living creatures. If he was to truly believe it, he was the one responsible for bringing this piece of the Twilight Realm to the forest. The specific use for this relic was also unknown other than that it revealed the true forms of wild deities when their mortal masks wandered too close. An anomaly caught his attention as the crimson and azure patterns faded. They went black then flashed a brilliant gold before disappearing once more. The familiar pulsing of red and blue returned as the stone resumed its usual splendour. Perplexed by what this deviation meant, Skull Kid jumped down from the branch he was perched on and ran off through the woods and back towards the swamp.


	3. To the Castle

The view from the castle window allowed Zelda to see Hyrule Town in all its splendour. The city had grown over the past few years now that the threat of the Gerudo had been vanquished. Since the imprisonment of Ganondorf, the frequent raids and attacks had ceased allowing trade between the races of Hyrule and the outer provinces to flourish. Each passing day some new structure was being built to accommodate the various migrants flocking to the markets and bazaars. Due to this, the castle appeared to have changed as well with more elaborate walls to shield it from unwanted visitors. The number of guards and knights in the court had practically doubled to accommodate the safety of the royal family as well as the growing population taking residence in the city.

One building never seemed to change and remained near the centre of town. The Temple of Time resided as an unwavering bastion to Hyrule’s past. The glorious shrine was a testament to the power, wisdom and courage of the goddesses and stood as a reminder as to what all Hylians should aspire to embody. Pristine white stone had been painstakingly carved and shaped into an elaborate cathedral, yet that was merely a physical manifestation of its true form. It had really been designed and built by the ancient sages and a mysterious race from the sky to act as a gateway to the sacred realm. Legend told that when one approached the door of time, housed in the temple, with the spiritual stones of earth, fire and water along with the ocarina of time, they could enter the holy realm of the Triforce. While this detail was regarded as an old fairy tale, the princess knew it to be true. The royal family had always been entrusted with protection of this temple and the bloodlines of the sages. Zelda had grown up fully aware of her duties as Hyrule’s royalty and the duty to protect her country.

These days, it felt harder and harder to do just that. The chase and arrest of Ganondorf had taken over two years and long chain of bloody battles. This followed by the panic of where they would imprison him as he had demonstrated in combat that he was a very powerful warlock and warrior. The king decreed the construction of the Arbiter’s Grounds in the heart of the desert to act as his prison. To add further insult to injury the jail was built over a Gerudo temple in honour of one of their goddesses. Even though it had been a year since the construction was completed, Zelda still cringed at the decision to build that retched place. She knew the Gerudo were nothing but demonic scum that stole from all other races, yet some part of her knew that to tear down one of their temples was taking their rivalry too far.

With Ganondorf finally imprisoned securely until a fitting punishment could be decided, a new era of peace had dawned on Hyrule. This had escaped Zelda’s grasp as she found herself taking on more responsibility of ruling the kingdom. Her father had been gravely wounded by Ganondorf in the battles that led to the warlock’s capture.  However the dark magic infused with the attack had stopped the king’s wounds from healing properly. It left him bedridden most days and unable to serve his kingdom. Even though Zelda was not yet old enough to undergo the coronation rites she felt like she was already the Queen. It felt like the only spare moments she had were the brief hours of moonlight before she finally went to sleep.

She left the view at the window and retreated from her chambers. Her hand brushed a wayward lock from her face as she wrapped her dressing gown around her body. Leaving her room she passed a tall Shiekah woman with silver hair and red eyes. She was much older than Zelda and possessed the athletic build of a warrior. Black and navy armour of hardened leather was adorned by an eye symbol crying a single tear.

Zelda curtsied to her loyal bodyguard “I’m just going to the courtyard Impa.”

 “Good, I was just about to collect you.” Impa smiled, her eyes accentuated by white markings “Someone is waiting for you, I caught him trying to sneak in an hour or so ago.”

 “Sneak in? And you’ve let him have an audience with me?”

 “Would I ever put you in danger, child? At first I didn’t recognise him, but once he showed me the ocarina and I saw that fairy, I knew who he was.”

Zelda could not contain the smile on her face, she made haste down the corridor leaving Impa to remain in the shadows.  A mirror caught her attention as Zelda skidded to a halt. Her long blonde hair was neatly braided back. Even without her makeup, she still possessed an elegant and beautiful face with heavenly blue eyes. She paused to contemplate her current gown, a plain violet robe she wore to bed and the dressing gown. She still appeared to look like a regal monarch albeit a rather casual looking one. Satisfied by her appearance she quickened her pace to the courtyard, slowing her feet upon her approach so she did not give the idea of being too eager.

The sound of rippling water drew near from the decorative moat that framed the courtyard. It was a private oasis among the severity of the castle that was home to an array of colourful flowers. In her youth, Zelda spent time with her mother here learning about the goddesses and the Triforce. She also used the various windows to spy on the audiences with the king. Now beneath the starry night stood a lone swordsman, his attire spoke of adventures to all manner of lands beyond Hyrule. Time had changed him from the boy who came to her all those years ago, yet looking into his eyes she could still sense a heroic aura. A blue fairy hovered near him as he knelt before her and presented the ocarina of time.

 “I believe you can have this back now, princess. From what I’ve seen in town, Ganondorf and the Gerudo are no longer a threat.”

 “Link, there’s no need for such formalities between us. Especially after all you’ve been through for my sake.” She pulled him to his feet “I’m just happy you’ve finally returned. I hope the ocarina has kept you safe during your travels.”

He laughed nervously “I’ll admit it was the reason why I was able to save a far off land.”

 “I see you’ve become a fine swordsman, your travels did you well.”

 “And you’ve become a great princess while I was away, I’ve never seen Hyrule so peaceful.”

Zelda passed him, taking a seat on the marble steps they had met on so many years ago. She beckoned him to side beside her “Please, tell me about your adventures. I want to know everything that’s happened.”

Link leant his sheathed sword and shield near him as he sat beside Zelda. The hours passed at a rapid pace as he regaled her with tales of his journey beyond Hyrule. They did not even notice the early morning light until Impa finally collected them from the courtyard and escorted them to separate chambers.

 

* * *

 

The guest room Link had stayed in was grander than any place he had ever slept. Impa claimed it was a less impressive chamber reserved for royal merchants, yet the chamber was still opulent. Banners bearing the Triforce and the Hylian crest striped the stone walls. A fireplace remained on one side with a sitting area before it. Along the opposite wall were many large windows permitting a fantastic view of the extensive gardens. Link however did not find them overly beautiful. There was some artificial quality about them as the plants were organised and tended rather than allowed to grow wildly.

By far the greatest quality of this room was the large bed he slept in. Never before had he imagined that a bed could be so comfortable. He was almost reluctant to leave the cocoon of blankets that morning. This was prompted by Navi frantically flying overhead. She growled to him “It’s almost past midday now! Shouldn’t we tell Zelda about that evil coming!? That was the reason we came here first.”

Link threw the covers over his head “Can it wait five more minutes?”

 “You’ve been saying that for the past hour. Come on, get out of bed!”

 “Don’t I deserve some kind of break? I’ve only just returned.”

 “You can rest after we tell Zelda!”

 “Tell me about what?” She asked as she shut the door of the chamber behind her. Zelda looked more true to the visage of a princess now. Her white, red and pink gown modestly complimented her beauty. Golden jewellery of the Triforce adorned her accessories.

Link sat up in bed, sleepily scratching at his hair as his other hand reached for his hat on a bedside table. Quickly adjusting his hat and his tunic he motioned to get out bed but hesitated. He remembered he was only in his underpants bellow the covers. That was not an ideal way to greet a princess.

 “Don’t get up as I can’t stay long… I finally got a chance to see you, being a princess is nothing like a fairy tale. I rarely have time for myself these days.” She took a seat on the edge of his bed. A soft smile appeared on Zelda’s radiant face to then change to a look of concern “I actually wanted to talk to you briefly and thought you might be awake by now.”

He did not like this change in demeanour “What is it Zelda?”

 “I had a vision last night, a monster is coming to Hyrule… a creature of unfathomable evil that feeds on souls. It glared at me from beyond the veil of dreams with wicked golden eyes.” She physically recoiled “I had to wake up just to escape its grasp.” Zelda felt an arm around her shoulders, she looked up to see Link by her side. The blankets were skilfully manoeuvred to keep him mostly covered up.

Navi floated to her level “Princess… is there any record in Hylian history of such a monster?”

 “No, I’ve never heard or seen any trace of such a creature. But my visions have never been wrong.”

Link reassured “If there is any danger then I will help you in any way I can.” It all he could say to hide his surprise at how brazen his action had been. To actually hold Zelda was something he never would’ve considered now.

 “Thankyou Link.” Zelda nervously smiled back to him “Being haunted by such visions is problematic as I have little freedom to do anything about them. The castle needs me to keep Hyrule in order and I cannot deploy the army on the whim of an unclear prediction.”

 “So you need more information? Well, where do you want me to go?”

 “Before I awoke, I saw a skull kid in my dream with two fairies hovering near him. He was in the forest with a lantern, beckoning me to follow him… there were four silhouettes in the distance too. But I can’t recall who or what they were… at the same time, they glowed with auras of destruction, sorrow, despair and unfathomable darkness… I don’t even know if they are allies or foes.”

Link was shocked as he blurted out “Two fairies!? You’re sure about that?”

She nodded solemnly “One of light, another of darkness, just like the fairies that accompanied the Skull Kid in Termina.”

 “Then I’ll head off to the forest at once. If Skull Kid is anywhere in Hyrule, he’ll be in the Lost Woods.” Link tried to remain a little optimistic “Besides, I need to visit Kokiri Forest anyway to see Saria. It won’t be too much of a delay for me and I can ask if anything suspicious has happened.”

 “Thankyou Link, I still don’t know why you’re so loyal to me.” Zelda rose and turned to him “I barely know a thing about you and yet… I feel I can trust you.”

Link smiled back to her, in all honesty even he was unsure as to why he was so dedicated to her.


	4. Seed of Evil

It was another peaceful morning in Kokiri village. The small town was built amidst the ancient trees to the point where you could not tell where the forest ended and the settlement began. Despite the numerous tree houses and walkways, nature was never shunned from their homes. Ribbons of azure water cascaded through the village, surrounded by lush green grass. The air danced with all manner of fairies and wisps making the land sparkle with ethereal light. At the edge of town were two hollowed out logs amidst the verdant walls of forest. One led to Hyrule Field, a path rarely travelled by the inhabitants of the forest. The other was a path more tread as it led to the mysterious Lost Woods.

The inhabitants of this secluded paradise were the eternally young Kokiri, a race of sprites that tended to the spirit that guarded all plants in Hyrule. At that moment the Great Deku sapling was still in the process of growing into a mighty tree. The chief of the Kokiri, Mido was issuing his commands on the morning needs for the sapling. The three brothers before him scattered to collect the various items he requested. Mido let out a sigh, even after all this time had passed he could not bring himself to forgive Link. That trouble maker had not been able to save the Deku Tree and left the forest with the Kokiri Emerald. It was nothing short of miraculous when the sapling first poked its leaves through the earth.

By now most of the Kokiri had all but forgotten about Link with the sapling demanding attention. Aside from that, years had passed and Kokiri were not allowed beyond the confinements of the forest. There was no telling what had happened to Link now. Mido heard a branch snap nearby, looking upwards he saw a blue fairy floating near the entrance to the Lost Woods. He shook his head, cursing under his breath at the bothersome wild fairies who did not belong to a Kokiri. Keeping himself busy, he stomped off deeper into the village.

Link could not believe his eyes, it seemed like nothing had changed in the Kokiri village. Even the occupants looked exactly the same. He had caught a glimpse of Mido, there was no mistaking it was him as they had the same pout and stomping march.

Navi said quietly “Aren’t you going down to say hello?”

He coldly admitted “No, I doubt they’d even recognise me now.”

 “Then why did you come back?”

 “Because I wanted to see Saria, she was my best friend growing up and never rejected me. In a way, I think she knew I was a Hylian all along.”

 “Alright, so let’s go find Saria, I’m sure she’d like to see you again.”

Link nodded to himself as he observed the village from his place in the shadows. From what he could see, there was no sign of Saria anywhere in the village. However he knew she was more likely to be in the sacred forest meadow deep within the Lost Woods. Without fear, he entered the cursed woods that had driven many wayward adventurers insane.

 

* * *

 

The verdant labyrinth of the Lost Woods eventually thins out. The sacred forest meadow is an island amidst the chaotic sea of nature. A secluded corridor of stone walls that leads to an ancient temple. Although not even the Kokiri or the Great Deku Tree, in all its forms, can recall when this place was built. At times it felt like the temple was the source of the forest as well as the mystical powers that enchant it. However, with the stairs all but shattered by the passage of time the way into such a place was near impossible. That did not mean it was impossible to enter.

Saria knew there was something amiss when she first came to meadow a few days ago. The clearing before the temple was one of her favourite places in the forest so it was common for her to make the trek on a regular basis. The eerie silence that welcomed her, told her there were no birds or animals amidst the trees or on the forest floor. She took careful note of her observations, unsure as to whether to bring it to Mido’s attention yet. Today she knew she would have to say something to the village. The plants near the temple were withering. This was utterly inconceivable so long as the Great Deku Tree was alive in some way.

She then paused as she felt a presence lurk behind her. The menacing and hungry gaze of a predator had found her. Yet it did not feel like a Wolfos or Stalfos. This felt more calculating and intelligent. Saria did not even see the attacker’s tendrils emerge from her own shadow and attempt to grasp her skull. At the last moment she turned to see tentacles made of darkness reach for her. Some were flattened and dotted with piercing golden eyes. Out of panic she reached to her satchel and threw a deku nut at the monster, a blinding flash of light erupted followed by a pained howl. Saria attempted to seize her chance but could not, her shadow was pinned to the ground by this monster and so was she.

Before the monster could resume its lunge, a blade gilded with golden patterns sliced it cleanly in half. Saria lunged back, her shadow now freed, and poised herself to throw another deku nut. She was utterly stunned by her saviour. It was an adult Hylian, a fine swordsman from the look of it as well. However, no matter how he had aged, Saria could not forget him “Link, is that really you?”

Saria had not aged a day since he left the forest. Her green hair was still cut short and curled around her pretty face. Even her tunic and shorts were the same as ever. Link nodded back to her as he approached, still keeping his shield raised and his eyes focused on his surroundings. He jested with a nervous smile “And here I was hoping for a happy reunion. Why is the forest so dead here?”

 “There’s something wrong with the temple, it’s only been today when that thing tried to grab me.” Saria handed him one of her satchels “It doesn’t seem to like light so take these, just in case.”

 “Thanks Saria.” Link sheathed his blade, he then reached for the hookshot on his belt.

 “Wait, you’re not thinking of going in there!? We don’t even know what we’re up against!”

 “I have to if we’re to find out what’s wrong,” He aimed the contraption at an overhanging branch “Get back to village, make sure everyone is safe.” A small bladed hook released from the mechanical handle and embedded in the wood. Link was sent flying through the air to land safely on the doorstep of the temple, high above Saria. He waved to her again before disappearing into the temple.

 “No, you stupid idiot! Don’t go in there!” A golden fairy zoomed past Saria’s head.

A fairy of darkness followed behind “Link! Listen to Tatl! It’s a trap!”

 “Oh no, this is bad Veran, we just missed him! We’ve got to hurry!”

Saria let out a yelp as a skull kid dashed past and nearly knocked her down. His straw body woven with shadows gave him an inhuman agility and dexterity. He leapt effortlessly from branch to stone to come to the temple doorway alongside the fairies.

 “We wouldn’t be late if you just opened that damn door instead of hesitating.” A cold female voice responded with a tinge of frustration.

A tall, voluptuous woman had materialised behind Saria without a sound. Her skin was so translucent it appeared to be blue from the vessels tangled beneath it. Bright orange hair that shimmered like a flame was cut to her scalp on the left side of her head. The right side of her face was framed by long curved locks that resembled a taloned claw. She wore a tight bodice decorated with eye patterns and layers of sarongs trailing with silver hoops at her waist. A pair of tights covered her legs and she wore matching silver bangles and anklets. Her neck was encircled by a collar of arcane and eye symbols etched on silver and onyx, two trails of crimson ribbons flowed behind her from the edge of the collar. She glared down at the terrified Kokiri and sneered “Go home, little girl, you are no help here.”

Saria fled the meadow as fast as she could from the sight of the woman turning to darkness and shattering into a million fragments.

 

* * *

 

Tendrils of unknown life writhed across all surfaces of the temple chambers. Whatever benevolence it once had was now shatter by the parasite lurking in the shadows. They were a sickly yellow that pulsed with gold light and darkness but fortunately were passive as they remained stuck to their walls. Link carefully stepped between the gaps on the floor. Sensing it was best if whatever these appendages belonged to remained oblivious to his presence. As he approached the entrance to the central chamber the malevolent aura was growing. At this point it was nearly suffocating to him as he entered through the broken door.

When he last came here, this chamber housed the four flames leading down into the underbelly of the temple. Now the torches were toppled over and the source of the strange tendrils came from a dark pit in the centre of the room. He raised his shield as tendrils close to the pit began to twitch uncontrollably. Link whispered to his fairy companion “Navi, if you need to hide in my hat-”

She confidently informed “Since my return I’ve become more resilient to dark auras. I will be here to help you fight this thing.”

 “You are even stupider than I remember if you think you can fight this thing!”

 “Tatl!?” Link turned around to see the familiar golden fairy alongside her brother, he lowered his sword “Tael as well? But… how?”

Tael piped up “Skull Kid is behind us, we had to stop you before Bellum possessed you!”

 “Bellum? Wait, you know what all this is!?” Link gestured to the desecrated temple.

 “All we know is that it survives by feeding on souls and draining life force.”

Tatl added “And for some reason it’s chosen Hyrule as its most recent buffet!”

Navi intervened “Link… who are these uncouth fairies?”

 “I could ask you the same thing!” Tatl slammed into Navi “What kind of fairy are you? You can’t even tell what kind of aura this thing has!?”

Tael corrected his sister “But she’s not uncouth.”

 “Link watch out!” Tatl broke from her squabble from the sight of the creature looming behind them. It appeared as a demonic squid like creature, a hardened exoskeleton that encased a writhing core of darkness. Long tentacles ended in golden eyes while a long tendril lined with red light like a spine dangled lifelessly as a tail. The creature floated through the air, the spine reaching towards Link, long barbs appearing along its surface.

He narrowly dodged the brunt of the attack as he side stepped. The tail still slashed at his face, cleanly tearing over his right eye. His vision turned red, a scream escaped him as he fell to his knees disorientated. The monster’s face, for lack of a better word, was nothing more than a maw of fangs with an eye in the centre of it. It swished its tail and tentacles wildly as it lunged towards Link. It howled at the sight of a blinding flash then a beam of light.

Navi panicked “I don’t know how we’re going to get out of this!”

Link clasped a hand to his injured eye to stop the blood. With his vision somewhat balanced he saw Skull Kid between him and the monster.

Skull Kid had tossed a deku nut at the creature then took advantage of the temporary flash by positioning the dropped mirror shield strategically. The shield proved too heavy as he released it and said “But at least we can stop Bellum from stealing your soul and turning you into a puppet!”

Tael cried in a panic “Come on guys, we gotta run! He’s bound to the temple for now!”

Before either of them could flee, Bellum lunged towards them once more, the tendrils across the floor moved to his will. They ensnared Skull Kid and Link in a heartbeat. Barbed spikes emerged along the surface of the tentacles and cleanly cut through their prey. Skull Kid kept resisting, his lack of blood made him immune to such pain. The trap only worked for a moment though before a blue skinned woman intervened.

Tatl pleaded, flying near her head “Veran, kill it!”

 “I don’t have the power to kill a primal deity,” Veran moved her arms in elaborate gestures “But I can get us to safety!”

Link panicked as the stabbing pain ceased and his entire body became cloaked in darkness. Fragments of his silhouette then broke away and vanished into the ether. He struggled in vain as the shadows swallowed him whole.

Bellum howled with unbridled rage as the Hero of Time slipped from his grasp. He paused, at that moment he had not absorbed enough souls to take on a more evolved form. Yet the memories of his ditties into the mortal coil were still fresh in mind. He had seen such magic before in Termina, never would he have expected such blasphemous power to exist in the land of the Golden Goddesses. He retreated to his dark pit to continue draining the forest of life, plotting and waiting as he did.

 

* * *

 

The moss covered ancient gears creaked to their own rhythm. Lost in the darkness they kept turning as Termina’s pulse and livelihood. Water churned through the ancient stone channels to power to elaborate contraptions overhead. At the bottom of this marvel of technology was a plain stone door. It may have had a symbol or some sign as to what it was many eons ago. Time had worn it down to a smooth alabaster lustre. Fragments of darkness spilled in from the air to gather and form into silhouettes. Skull Kid gasped for air, the art of shadow teleportation always startled him.

Tael shyly asked to no one in particular “All back in one piece?”

 “What do you mean you can’t kill Bellum!?” Tatl got right in Veran’s face “You’re the best shadow sorceress in all of Termina, and you can’t kill it!? I don’t believe you.”

 “Yes, I am the best, but I can’t just slay a primal deity on a whim. There’s only a handful of immortals that can do that.” Veran put her hands on her hips “Besides, you can’t KILL a deity, you just shatter their current form so they have to reincarnate.”

Skull Kid rose to his feet, dusting himself off in the process “Hey, does anyone see Link?”

Tatl, Tael and Veran paused as the horrible reality dawned on them. There was no sign of the Hylian they intended to save in the first place.

Tael attempted to start the logical thought process to alleviate the situation “That’s a good point… did the warp fail because we jumped between Hyrule and Termina?”

Skull Kid nodded to his fairy friend “It worked for us and we know he can come to Termina as well, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to in order to save us from Majora’s Mask.”

 “However he is unfamiliar with this magic, meaning he could’ve panicked and went out of sync with our trajectory.” Veran coldly informed.

 “So… where is he then?”

 “He could be anywhere, either in Termina or the Twilight Realm.” Skull Kid fell deathly silent at the news. Veran reassured “If he’s in Termina he’ll show up eventually, if he fell into the Twilight Realm then I’ll find him.”

Skull Kid waved her goodbye as she vanished into the ether once more. 


	5. An Unlikely Saviour

The pirate fortress of the Great Bay rarely entertained visitors on civil terms. However Aveil was intrigued by this recent development. It was uncommon for a travelling scholar to come knocking so often, claiming that they were in possession of an important relic. What was rarer was the fact this woman and her cronies appeared capable of ravaging their ships and generally interrupting their usual raiding. The grand hall of the fortress was adorned by all manner of treasure stolen from the hands of others. Aveil proudly displayed her status as she lounged on a fine couch. Banners of red depicting their flag hung around the walls.  Aveil herself was an enchanting beauty of the Gerudo pirates. Her long orange hair contrasting with sun kissed skin as she made sure to wear her finest jewels for the meeting. She reclined before her visitor who merely stood looking most unimpressed.

The young scholar appeared discoloured and ill with grey skin. Her bloodshot eyes permanently appeared infected as her sclera was tinged yellow and her iris was the colour of mud. A two tailed jester hat ended in hexagonal silver rings, similar rings ended the short thick braids that framed her face. She wore a sleeved tunic with a tattered singlet over it that ended in ribbons all tied to silver hoops. Long trousers tucked into strange boots and violet sashes cinched her waist.

Strangely she did not have a weapon sheathed at her side. Aveil had deduced she was probably a brawler from the presence of gauntlets, vambraces, sabatons and greaves in her clothing. Strangely the armour did not appear to be made of metal, but rather an odd stone with shadowy cryptic runes all over. The patterns were only amplified by a strange darkness writhing within them. She also did not appear to possess the body of a normal scholar, as it appeared athletic and more muscular compared to a normal woman. If they had met under different circumstances, Aveil would’ve welcomed her to the crew with open arms.

Perhaps the detail that caught Aveil’s interest was the pendant around her neck. At first glance it looked like an odd stone mask on an old leather chord. But the mask might have been a helm from armour. A twisted face adorned by a pair of horns fitted in the leather seamlessly. There was a pair of strangely wide eyes looking back at her yet no mouth or nose. The end of the pendant curved into another pair of horns and two jagged spikes. More notable was the fact that a strange stone relic they had plundered bore a striking resemblance to the pattern of the pendant.

 “Thankyou for meeting with me again, regardless this will be the last meeting before I take what I want by force.”

 “You talk big for a weedy scholar, Sable.” Aveil toyed with the stone horns the scholar sought “What could you possibly do to me? I mean, you dress like a jester, why should I take you seriously?” Leaning over the arm of her lounge she smirked “And I can tell this is worth more to you than just a history lesson. No, this little relic here,” she casually juggled it between her hands “Looks like a piece of a bigger puzzle and you know where the rest of the pieces are. It’s clear from the look of your necklace you know what’s really going on.”

“I guess you’re too clever for your own good,” Sable let out a sigh as Aveil gestured her to continue. She frowned in reply “And you thought I would just tell you outright?” She laughed cruelly “You really are an idiot.”

The fortress quivered as the earth violently shook. Loose stones and bricks jolted free of their confinements and tumbled to the ground. Aveil leapt from her seat to evade a falling beam. She immediately armed her falchions and poised to strike at Sable.

The strange woman merely smiled back at her, stepping forward so her neck was a breath away from the blade. Sable put her arms out defiantly “You see my dear Aveil, my friends and I are very, very, very good at breaking things. So now I’m forcing your hand, stay here and attempt to keep that relic from me, save your plundered treasure or save your crew before this fortress falls to ruin. The choice is yours.”

 “You will never get the relic.” Aveil lunged forward but shocked as Sable merely turned into a shadow and vanished. In her place stood a strange creature that wore the green fur of a fox. On closer inspection, the fur was merely camouflage that hid an oversized chelicerata that oozed venom from its mandibles and long stingers.

 “A Forest Fox!? But those are only found in the swamps!”

She narrowly evaded the pounce of the fox as it attempted to bite her neck. Aveil continued to dodge helplessly at the inhumanly quick movements of her opponent darting towards her from all directions. Amidst it all the fortress kept quaking as the walls began to collapse. In the fray, she dropped the relic and made her way to the exit before the roof could fall down. She did not care what had become of Sable as the fox had merely pursued the relic. Aveil had heard legends of shape shifters in Termina, but she never imagined she would ever encounter one.

The sight of chaos greeted Aveil when she made her way into the daylight. Already ships were attempting to flee through the destroyed gates. It appeared as though something had smashed them in, bending the iron walls like paper. Fires broke out all over the fortress as supplies of black powder erupted. Black smoke rose to the sky amidst the screams of the Gerudo pirates. Aveil frantically ran along the fortress roofs, shouting commands to her loyal pirates. By now, survival was the only thing on her mind.

The source of the earthquakes surfaced from beneath the water. The massive serpent dwarfed the ships as it thrashed its tail effortlessly. Its body streamlined to travel like lightning through the ocean. The tips of its barbed fins crackled with electricity that it generated through its body. Aveil had seen such a beast before, the Deep Pythons of Pinnacle Rock were only the larval stage of these deep sea nightmares. When they came to age, the pythons grew into Abyss Serpents, but this one was different as it moved with strategy and not blind movements.

An obnoxiously happy tune was whistled nearby. Aveil saw the firebug skipping through the chaos. The Deku Scrub was dressed in the gown of a witch and covered her body in layers of red, blue and black fabric. The cuffs of her wide sleeves were sewn with various letters of an arcane language. A thick silver torque studded with large purple gems hugged her neck. Her leafy hair surrounded her face as makeshift bangs with the longer leaves tied up as a high ponytail, cinched by a purple stone and silver bracelet from a Terminan. The fire danced closer to the Deku who merely laughed as her leafy hair glowed then erupted into flames. The end result seemed to create immunity to the danger of spontaneously combusting.

Driven by adrenaline and rage, Aveil dashed towards the unsuspecting Deku who was in the process of conjuring a large fireball in her small hands. Her blade was shattered before it could meet its target as Sable struck it with a sweeping motion of the vambrace of her gauntlet. Aveil leapt back, now down to one sword, to see Sable poised to strike before her. The jester appeared to be armed with nothing more than her fists. Aveil blindly charge again, noticing the darkness engulf Sable’s hands and light up with azure runes. She dodged both punches in her direction, but did not evade the high kick to her ribcage. What was more shocking was that the darkness around Sable’s foot allowed her limb to pass through Aveil’s body. This permitted the force of the attack to strike her ribs in its entirety rather than allow her muscles to absorb the shock.

 “Wow, looks like you were right about that shadow magic theory, huh?”

Aveil refused to fall to the ground as she struggled to her knees. Blood coughed from her mouth as she saw more Gerudos head her way.

 “Well if we can reap a person’s soul then surely we can dial it back a little to strike specific parts of the body. I was aiming for the bones there and looks like it worked perfectly.” Sable looked to the Deku “I’ve got what I need, so ready to go Iris?”

 “Yeah, let’s ride.”

Sable once again became a silhouette and shifted into the form of yet another creature lost to Terminan folklore. Aveil watched as a dragon wreathed in metal scales took shape, Iris merely bounded up onto its back and waved to her. With a single flap of its mighty wings, the dragon and the Deku soared off over the ocean. The Abyss Serpent also retreated beneath the ocean once more and disappeared from the fortress.

 

* * *

 

Iris counted down in her mind as she kept an eye on the distance. She cheered excitedly as the pirate fortress crumbled like a house of cards. The avalanche of stone, wood and treasure flooded into the ocean, although there was no telling whether or not the pirates lived. Her attention turned to the stone horns Sable had collected from Aveil. Obviously with Sable in her dragon body, she had no means to safely carry such a valuable relic. So Iris kept whistling to herself as they kept soaring over the Great Bay at great speed. They had to rendezvous with Onox at a secluded cove.

She waved her hands over her hair, extinguishing her firemane spell to restore them to their leafy normalcy. The ocean stretched out below them as far as the eye could see. The white caps of the crashing waves told of the storm that would soon be upon them. However that was days away by now, long after they concluded their business with the western region of Termina. Iris shook her head and perished the theory as she saw the tail of an Abyss Serpent rise and crash amongst the waves. Obviously Onox was not helping in calming the waves as he kept travelling in that monstrous body. Then again, Iris had never seen him not cause mass destruction when he assumed a monster’s form. It was probably why he rarely showed off his prowess as a therianthrope.

All was not well though, a dark rift tore through the sky overhead and sent something hurtling towards them. By the time Iris and Sable noticed, it was too late. Whatever had fallen was heavy and struck them hard, plunging them all into the wild ocean. As Sable broke the water’s surface she could see Iris instinctively water hopping to the best of her ability. The projectile that had struck them down came in the form of a wounded swordsman garbed in green. Her attention was diverted as a stream of green liquid clouded the water before her eyes.

The streamlined transparent silhouette flickered by the bloodstains, the collapse of the fortress had wounded the unsuspecting beast as it frolicked nearby. Sable immediately pursued it in her dragon form, this was the last legendary beast she had to capture, the Ocean Tiger. Its natural camouflage slipped away allowing its full body to be seen. As its title suggested, it resembled a blue tiger like creature except more streamlined and scaled like a fish. It had four webbed limbs and a long dolphin tail. The edges of its fins were lined with barbs and its body swirled with dark blue markings.

Sable knew this was it, she had strike fast before it vanished into unreachable depths once more. She had been hunting this creature for the past seven years and finally, today she would succeed. The tiger sensed the dragon’s presence and tried to swim faster, however its injuries stopped it from fleeing. Without hesitation, Sable buried her fanged jaws into its flesh. The tiger let out a gargled roar as it bled out. She rose from the surface with her writhing trophy and made her way back to the cove to extract its soul.

In the meantime Iris was paddling lazily along the ocean. She had frozen the cap of a wave to create a seaworthy vessel and a long oar of ice. Her whistling turned to a yelp as the sheet of ice rocked unsteadily. She turned to see the swordsman attempting to climb aboard. His wounds oozed crimson with the slightest movement. His breathing ragged and body trembling as he clung to life.

 “Get off you oaf!” She swatted him with her oar “Who do you think you are!? Falling out of the sky like that without warning, how rude!”

He pulled himself up only to finally collapse on the ice “I should be asking why you can freeze water and were flying on a dragon’s back.”

 “Because I’m a witch and that dragon is my friend. Maybe you should make friends with therianthropes if you want to fly without falling.”

 “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but can you please get me to land.”

 “Well…” The Deku whistled again “I guess I can, you said please after all. I’m Iris by the way. Who’re you and where did you come from?”

 “Link… I’m from Hyrule.” He closed his eyes to preserve what little energy he had left.

 “Where the hell is Hyrule?” Iris mused out loud, completely unfazed as the dragon circled back with some kind of strange fish in its mouth. When no response came she kicked him again “Hey! Stay awake you idiot, die after I’ve dropped you off.”


	6. Saved?

With the small cove ahead, Sable sped up and landed on the sand covered rocks with a skid. The fatally wounded Ocean Tiger was sent tumbling onto dry land. It let out a whimper when it saw the distance between it and the sea. The dragon that had caught it was enveloped in darkness then parted to reveal a woman in a jester hat. In that moment, the tiger knew exactly what she was and why she caught it. A woman’s voice laughed in Sable’s mind “So… you finally caught me.”

She smiled to her prey “I will admit, it was a fun game of cat and mouse while it lasted.”

 “Well said, young Gomess, I commend you for your talents and enjoy becoming one with you.”

 “I assure you, the honour is mine.” Sable’s arm twisted into shadows. A claw of tendrils reached out once more and struck the Ocean Tiger’s chest. Its body writhed as she tore out a gleaming blue light. Her hand then reverted to normal as the darkness shed from her form like a second skin. The star of light had become one with her as her skin began to pulse with the energy. She knew she would have to pay a visit to a Great Fairy today to complete the rites of binding.

The great Abyss Serpent approached the shore, diving deep and simply vanishing beneath the waves nearby. A giant of a man emerged from the depths to emerge in the cove. He stretched his muscular arms to crack his joints back the right way. His skin was darkened by a slight tan and his bloodshot eyes were scarlet. His wild mane may have been blonde if actually washed it on a regular basis. A series of faded scars marked the right side of his face and he also appeared to be missing a tooth on that same side as he smiled to Sable. She merely nodded back, turning to look at the sea while he dressed the rest of himself. He quickly put on his tunics and favourite sleeveless duster of hardened leather. Over his clothes he wore an iron cuirass with leather stretched over it. His pauldrons only made his shoulders appear broader and were designed with monstrous eyes. Oddly his sabatons curved upwards at the tips to look a little bit like a pixie and did not match the rest of his outfit.

Sable smiled to herself as she said “I got the last soul Onox.”

 “So I see,” his mouth sounded full “It’s quite delicious too.”

 “Are you already eating it!?” She turned to see him knelt down over the corpse, devouring its cold flesh raw.

 “You know I need to eat after I shape shift.”

 “Still doesn’t mean you have to be disgusting when you do it.”

 “I can’t wait for it to be cooked, besides did you get that relic from the pirates?”

 “The Fused Shadow? Yes, Iris has it right now…” Sable looked to the horizon “Where is Iris anyway?”

Onox appeared at her side, still chewing on a ripped off leg from the tiger. He shook his head in a direction, Sable followed the gesture to see Iris paddling towards them. Her icy boat partly sinking as it tossed on the waves. They both quickly waded out to shallower waters to grab her before it sank. Iris instinctively water hopped onto Sable’s shoulders, she pointed to the mysterious passenger with her “Meet the thing that crashed us out of the sky. He says his name is Link.”

 “Is he dead?” Onox checked for a pulse, noticing a weak defensive look in the swordsman’s eyes. He slung Link over his shoulder effortlessly and waded back to shore.

Link felt his body crash into the deceptively soft sand. He only realised it was mere dusting over layers of rock. He winced inwards, body still shaking as he tried to keep pressure on the more severe wounds over his chest.

 “Link, meet Sable and Ox. Guys, this is Link.” Iris threw her hands up “Right, I’m done with being polite!”

Onox dumbly asked “So what do we do with him now?”

 “He just said he needed to get to land,” Iris smirked wickedly “I call dibs on his shield, looks shiny!”

 “I’m not dead,” Link gritted through his teeth, forcing himself to his knees. He unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the Deku “And you will not be taking anything of mine!”

Sable laughed at his ludicrous threat “You have to have the worst luck, I mean of all the people in Termina to be saved by, it had to be us!? Seriously, fate must be laughing at you right now.”

 “I’m in Termina? But how!?”

 “You fell out of the sky… hey, wait a minute,” she inquired bluntly without turning around “Iris, why do you even need a shield? That thing probably weighs more than you do.”

Iris responded in a matter of fact way “For sledding of course.”

 “Don’t you remember what happened last time you did that?”

 “We apologised and fixed their roof… and the wall… and the shelf… and then ran for it because we basically broke a house.” The deku shrugged casually “So what’s the problem?”

 “They chased us with pitchforks.”

 “Yeah, and I handled it.”

 “By freezing the angry mob wielding pitchforks.”

 “They needed to cool down, honestly attacking two young ladies like that.”

Onox added “I don’t think you two can really count as ladies, I mean, yes you’re female but… you’re not very lady-like.” He was met with the indignant scowls of his friends “You’re more… like a genderless entity… like a lamp or a chair, you serve a purpose.” He ducked to avoid a fireball aimed at his head. “And it’s things like that, that makes people come to that assumption.”

Iris went into a frenzy from his commentary, frost and flames surrounded her hands. She rapidly fired off alternating bolts of fire and ice magic. Onox laughed heartily as he began to dodge them with ease. Most of the magical missiles landed in the ocean or crashed into the nearby walls.

Amidst the spell flinging, Link crawled behind a nearby rock to take cover. He tried his best to calm his breathing and ignore the pain from any movement he made. Scorch marks charred the rock overhead, sending bolts sprinkling down upon him. He covered his eye to shield it from the rain, gentle warmth cascaded over him. It was then he realised that this magic was possibly a friendly encounter as it was not at full strength. He then froze as he realised Sable was beside him. Instinctively he raised his sword at her, although he could not still the tremors of his muscles as he fought the onset of weakness from blood loss.

 “Now be a good boy and put the sword down.” Sable reached out to touch his wrist and disarm him. Her actions were ceased by a blinding golden light shining from the back of his hand. A symbol of three triangles illuminated then faded back into his body. She practically hissed demonically from the light as she dived over the rock to escape its lustre.

Iris ceased fire as they both saw the golden light. Onox caught Sable as she reeled back clutching her eyes. Even he had to admit the presence of that light stang his vision temporarily. Iris moved in closer, unaffected by the strange anomaly. She pinched Link by the ear as she innocently asked “What kind of magic was that? Why did you hurt my friend like that?” A fireball ignited in her opposite hand, she held the flame near his face “Tell me.”

Link weighed the options in his mind, he could surrender or he could strike Iris down with a single blow. This seemed appealing at first until he realised he was too weak to fight her two cohorts. He did not even know what they were fully capable of so it seemed like a poor strategy.

 “That thing looked like that triangle the Ikana worship.” Sable loomed over him once more, she shook her head “Looks like you’re their problem so they can deal with it.”

Onox butted in “Are you sure it’s such a good idea to just hand him over? They’re going to think we did this to him!”

Iris decided “We probably should hand him over to them, we don’t know anything about healing magic.”

 “So…” Onox looked at Sable “You’re doing the fly by.”

Sable pouted “Why not you? You can fly too!”

 “We all know what happens when I turn into that particular monster. Besides you’re much quicker than I am.”

 “Fine, I’ll drop the shiny one off at the castle. But I need a cloaking potion.”

Iris rummaged through her bag at the edge of the cove. She procured two vials of a rather swampy looking mixture. One was tossed to Sable, the other was forced down Link’s throat. “This will give you fifteen minutes of invisibility unless it gets dispelled.”

 “Plenty of time.” Sable remarked as she vanished from sight.

Link panicked as he saw his hands vanish before his eyes, he was not given time to protest. He was already snatched up in the claws of a dragon and flying high above the ground within seconds.

 

* * *

 

Hidden deep in the eastern valleys, atop an ancient cliff overlooking Termina, was the city of Ikana. Years ago, the ancient kingdom had been freed of the curses inflicted upon it during the era of magic. Now the survivors were slowly rebuilding their lives in an era of peace and technology. They still upheld their reverence for the Golden Goddesses and the ways of light, yet they understood that Termina now believed in the Giants. While that fact was difficult to tolerate at first, slowly but surely they were making their lives anew with the help of a paranormal investigator and his young daughter who had moved from Clock Town to investigate the ruins.

The castle had once been the seat of the great King Igos who was a fair and noble ruler. In his cursed state he was slain by a travelling swordsman dressed in green. It was a merciful killing and this same traveller freed many of the cursed souls bound to Ikana. Bereft of its ancient societal structure, the castle was more a grand hall accommodating those who had no home. What remained of the Ikanans was governed by Igos’ chancellors. Their goal remained clear though as they chose to stay in the valley. They felt it was their responsibility to keep the Stone Towers sealed for all eternity. There was no telling what horrors from the Twilight Realm dwelled within the accursed temples of the Gomess. The towers themselves were now sealed by the combined efforts of the chancellors and the conduit of a wild deity.

On that pleasantly sunny day, Lanayru stood upon the castle’s roof to overlook the city. The small market stalls were bustling as a caravan prepared to leave and trade with Clock Town. The desolate stones of the valley had slowly turned green as small shrubs and plants began to peer above the soil. Given that he lived through Ikana’s brutal wars with the Gomess, he never imagined the valley would ever be at peace. His golden hair fluttered along the breeze as a gust swept past. Unconsciously he wrapped his azure and cobalt robes tighter around his thin frame.

He found himself turning to gaze at the Stone Towers. Their crude architecture spoke to a depravity and primal existence. Then again what more could he expect of those who would easily hand their souls over to darkness. A smug grin appeared on his face, after all, the Gomess were nearly extinct now and the Ikana still lived. The Golden Goddesses had protected them after all when they sent their hero to save them from Majora’s Wrath.

Oddly the wind began to shift erratically, Lanayru sensed something was amiss, cursing himself for leaving his staff in his chamber. The anomaly came to an end as he heard something large land. He could feel something perched behind him, however looking around revealed there was nothing there. Channelling his clairvoyance, his vision began to see through the veils of reality. The silhouette of a dragon was standing over a mortally wounded man. Lanayru was about to call for Eldin to help but the dragon merely stretched her wings. He shielded his face out of defence as the wind cut around him again. The dragon vanished into the sky and left the man behind.

 “Please keep fighting,” Lanayru was already disenchanting the invisibility hex placed on his patient. Years of being a healer in the battlefront kicked in as he began to tend to his wounds with practised movements. Carefully assessing the extent of the damage while attempting to stop the bleeding with tourniquets torn from his sleeves, Lanayru stated “These injuries were not caused by a dragon, what manner of beast were you attacked by?”

Link began to see red as blood pooled over his working eye. Through his clouded vision all he could see was a familiar belt with the insignia of the Triforce on it. He stammered “You… you led me to Ikana and that secret shrine.”

Lanayru froze as he recalled who he was “Then you must be the one who purged the shrine of evil, you also freed many of my people from this curse. It’s been too long, Link.”

 “Who are you anyway?” He winced, spitting up a mouthful of blood.

 “Lanayru, and by the divinity of the Golden Goddesses, you will be saved.”

Ikanans were beginning to rush onto the rooftop to find the high priest tending to the wounds of a strange man. Before they could question, the emblem of Triforce glowed on the back of Link’s hand once more. Some remained still in awe of the divine symbol appearing on a mortal’s body. Others made haste to help heal him. Finally unable to tolerate the pain anymore, Link passed into sweet, numb unconsciousness.


	7. Still broken

Time passed hazily between moments of lucid recollections that slipped back into darkness. It was only when he actually stopped that Link realised his wounds would have killed a weaker man. Fear rose to mind whenever he was briefly awake. Half his vision remained covered from his sight on the right side. He knew it was not bandages, as tactile exploration of his face told him there were no such covering directly over his eye. Judging by the shifting of light and shadow across the ceiling, days had passed since Lanayru tended to his injuries. Yet his mind had not stopped reeling from the events that brought him here.

That day, he endeavoured to get up and find his answers. Shakily his body responded as he sat in bed. The chamber itself was rather simple, mostly made of warm hues of smooth stone with colourful murals painted on the walls. He always thought it peculiar how Terminans preferred painting directly on surfaces rather than hang a portrait. Large windows framed by red fabric offered a pleasant view of the castle courtyard on a mildly sunny day. The furniture spoke to a different era, very simple in design with the occasional flourish or crest to decorate them. Most curiously was the presence of the Triforce as an embellishment.

Next he had to actually get out of bed, he threw the covers back and slowly moved his legs to the edge of the mattress. Link tentatively applied pressure to the balls of his feet. Knowing they were sturdy, he then stood and stretched his arms, eliciting a few cracks from his joints. His altered vision was disorientating, he found himself actively turning around to get a proper look at his surroundings. His travelling equipment, sword and shield were on a table on the opposite side of the room. Upon a dresser close to the bed were his clothes and chainmail, mended and clean.

 “Oh good, you’re awake.” Lanayru announced as he entered the room, Link had to physically turn just to catch a glimpse of the priest. “I apologise for not being able to restore your sight. Recently my healing prowess has faded, I fear Nayru is slowly denying me as her envoy.” He ran a hand absentmindedly through his golden locks, ashamedly looking at the floor.

Link slipped his tunic on, over his bandaged injuries “Don’t say that, you’re an excellent healer. I mean, I’m still alive because of you. Thankyou.”

 “I will admit my magic always exceled over my comrades, but with Nayru’s blessing I could weave miracles.” Lanayru let out a sigh “Then again, we live in a land belonging to the Giants, I doubt the Golden Goddesses even acknowledge us anymore, unlike your home world.”

 “You know I’m from Hyrule?”

 “The Triforce appearing on your hand, it was a sign that you are one of the chosen of the Golden Goddesses. Although, it’s been millennia since we last saw it. There tales of a utopia of the goddesses in our legends, we know this place as Hyrule. Recently however our knowledge has shifted, we realise now that Hyrule and Termina are parallel dimensions.” Lanayru stepped closer, placing a hand on each side of Link’s face to examine the damaged eye “The scars have healed completely which is good,” he took a step back “How are you feeling?”

Link stretched his arms again, his joints still felt stiff “Exhausted, I know I’ve been in bed but I feel completely drained.”

 “I think it would best for you to remain in Ikana for a while.”

 “But I can’t stay, Hyrule is in danger!” For a moment, Link felt his strength falter as he braced himself on a nearby table. He gritted his teeth to remain standing as he eyed the door.

Lanayru blocked his path to the door “And as a healer, I can’t let you walk out of here with such a crippling injury, you need to rehabilitate yourself so you can manage with losing sight in one eye.” His expression became gentle “What is this danger you speak of? Surely the goddesses would never allow anything to happen to their world.”

“I fear something may have snuck in, a demon like nothing Hyrule has ever seen before…” Link bowed his head “I would have died in the Forest Temple if Skull Kid hadn’t interfered.”

Lanayru was at his side, his curiosity piqued “Would this Skull Kid be accompanied by two fairies by any chance?”

 “Yes, there was also this woman with blue skin, orange hair and yellow eyes. She cast some spell and I was suddenly falling the sky in Termina.”

 “That would’ve been a shadow warp, Gomess magic. Then that woman must’ve been… yes, there is no other who could’ve done it.” Lanayru spoke before Link would even ask for a description of such terms “That Skull Kid was the same fool to don Majora’s Mask all those years ago and opened the Stone Towers.” He mused openly to himself “That little heretic is nothing but trouble, what could he possibly want with a champion of the Golden Goddesses?”

Link folded his arms, he fumed to get the priest’s attention “I get the feeling there is a lot more to Ikana than I first thought.”

Lanayru snapped out of his inner machinations, he shyly nodded “My colleges and I will explain as you recuperate. The problem is that even if you leave Ikana, there is no way for you to return to Hyrule. At least, not now anyway, I’m sure there is a way, but you’ll need to consult… them.” He shivered at the very thought.

 “Who is ‘them’?” Link was finding it more challenging to keep his anger in check.

 “Termina is not like Hyrule… it is a playground for wild deities who dwell in the Twilight Realm, a place of darkness and madness. They come here to enjoy the mortal coil. They come in many forms with many different powers, all of them are wicked though and cannot be trusted. However I fear the only way for you to find a road to Hyrule would be to consult the wild deities we know of.”

Link scratched at his head “So… are the Giants wild deities?”

 “Yes and no, they are primal deities, I guess you could consider them the top of the deity hierarchy in the Twilight Realm.” Lanayru shrugged “To be honest, we Ikana do not know much of the Twilight Realm or how the wild deities work. That knowledge leads to corruption of the mind and body.” His attention was diverted as Link fell to his knees, Lanayru was instantly at his side and helping him up, gently chiding “You need to take it easy. This is a lot of information for you to process.”

Frustration boiled in his blood as Link found himself sitting on the bed again. All he wanted was to heal and be gone, given the sheer magnitude of that monster every instinct told him to return to Zelda’s side. He had to protect her from such malevolence. A loud complaint from his stomach churned his innards, making him overcome with embarrassment.

Lanayru gently smiled “I’m afraid dinner won’t be prepared for a few more hours, but I’ll ask the kitchen to put something together for you.”

He remarked as he lied down again “Thankyou.”

 “So your injuries were caused by a demon? It’s just, there are some details of them that make no sense.”

 “It was a demon, like a giant squid monster covered in golden eyes… I think it’s called Bellum, what about my injuries make no sense?”

 “The rate of healing in your body is remarkably slow, it doesn’t make sense given you’re so young and healthy. But I’m still looking into it, it may just be an after effect of shock from blood loss. I’ll be back in a moment with a meal for you.” Lanayru bowed as he excused himself.

Walking down the stone corridors, anxiety began to panic his usually calm mind. It had taken all his self-control to keep composed while talking to Link. He could still not believe the sight of that darkness writhing in Link’s wounds and body. How each time he tried to heal him, another gash tore open violently. At least, Link appeared to be stable now, although the details he had shared concerned him greatly. All lingering thoughts traced back to a single question _‘Why would the Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm save him?’_

* * *

 

Days slowly crawled past as Link regained his strength. At first he could barely leave his chamber without collapsing, yet he persevered, strived to get a little further each day. Lanayru had proved good company during his recuperation sharing tales of King Igos and his court before they were cursed. Still there was some secrecy to these tales as Lanayru neglected to speak the cause of the curse in the first place. Finally Link was able to walk around the castle and then the city of Ikana. The river still flowed pure water from the mysterious cave to the north. The music box house took pride of place in the centre of the city, nestled beside the town square. The edges of canyon walls held the rugged homes of the Ikanans. The stone painted with vivid gold and yellow markings in tribute to the sun, the Golden Goddesses and their Triforce. The earth had turned green and verdant as plants grew wildly among the stone pathways.

The Stone Towers looked out of place in the lively village. Like a trio of primordial creatures stalking over the horizon who were merely observing Ikana. The earth was still barren and dead around the sealed doorway. The ancient stone carved with symbols and runes he could not recognise. To add further safety, white ropes laced with golden slips of paper bearing holy runes were tangled artistically around the stone door. Whatever was within those towers, Link knew that the Ikanans feared it. Why else would they go to such a drastic extent to keep it barred? Much to his frustration no one seemed willing to discuss what had happened to the valley in the first place to become cursed. They also appeared terrified and fell silent the moment he uttered the word ‘Gomess’, although he was not sure at this point what that even meant.

To the south was a deadly drop to the eastern valley, one that was impossibly steep and smooth so no one could scale it. The issue of scaling the cliff was remedied by a marvel of Terminan technology. An elaborate set of wheels, steel bars, wooden frames, chains and moving platforms created an elevator between the city and the wilderness bellow. The fenced platforms appeared large enough to safely transport a horse and cart. Link whistled to himself as he peered over the edge and noticed the drop.

 “Impressive, isn’t it? Took five years to make, the gentleman that lives in the music box is quite brilliant and designed it for us.” said a confident voice, a tall man with brown hair and opaque eyes approached. A long cane wavered in front of him, aiding his senses as he moved with ease. He looked like he had been a hunter before his sight was lost. His simple tunic could not conceal his chainmail and an impressive fur pelt hugged his shoulders and draped down his back. He sat down on the edge of the cliff, dangling his legs over “Lanayru said you’d be out here.”

Link stammered “Are you sure you should be so close? I mean, clearly you’re-”

 “Blind? Yes, but I’ve adapted to it. I may never be Farore’s envoy or worthy of the title of Huntmaster again. However, I can still track any living creature using my senses.”

Link took a seat beside the strange man “Farore’s envoy? Then you must be Faron.”

He laughed cryptically, then remarked “And you are a champion of the goddesses. Lanayru would not be silent about how the Triforce appeared on your hand. That is a sign that you are destined to do something great, something that will change the course of history.”

 “I already know what I must do. I have to return to Hyrule.”

 “Ah yes, and save your homeland from a creature called Bellum?”

 “I see you’ve been talking to Lanayru.” Link grumbled and folded his arms over his chest, Faron nodded in response. “I can understand his concern, but I’ll be fine and ready to go in a day or so, I know it.”

Faron’s words dripped venom “You’re an idiot to think that. Your body needs time to adjust, how do you expect to fight with half your vision blind?” He could hear Link cursing under his breath, in many ways Faron could relate to the feeling right now. The desire to return to normalcy, however that was impossible to find once you were changed. He sighed to himself “Lanayru’s very worried about you, he thinks your injuries are cursed and it’s driving him mad that he can’t dispel it. I, on the other hand, believe that you should consult the wild deities in the Woods of Mystery. They may know of an ancient magic that could dispel it.”

Link’s interest piqued “Then… could maybe some Ikanans help me get there?”

Faron shook his head with a smirk “This is your pilgrimage to make. It is the ways of the champion, this is but a trial of the goddesses to test your power, wisdom and courage.”

 “Great, this is just what I need.” Link buried his face in his hands, his mind wrought with concerns of Hyrule. He needed to know what had happened to Zelda, Saria and Navi.

 “I have a proposition to make.” Faron’s eyes remained focused on the sky overhead “Allow my friend Eldin to train you, once you prove proficient with a blade again, then I’ll give you a compass of the Woods of Mystery that leads you straight to where the deities dance.”

 “Does such a thing exist? How could anything navigate those woods?”

 “This compass was seized from our enemy during the war. Apparently it gravitates towards energy from the Twilight Realm, by using that, you may track a safe path through those cursed woods.”

Link decided to test his luck “By enemy, you mean the Gomess right?” He saw Faron physically shiver, his hand temporarily went to his eyes. “They blinded you, didn’t they? Who are the Gomess? No one will tell me.”

 “Fine, I’ll tell you.” Faron took a deep breath to calm himself “The Gomess were once part of our great clan of Ikana, but they shunned the Golden Goddesses and the ways of light in favour of the Giants and the ways of darkness. Soon enough, they became an entirely different race, exposure to the corruptive Twilight Realm cursed their bodies to reflect their savagery. All hell broke loose when they finished building those accursed towers. They were also the ones to find and use Majora’s Mask.” Faron cracked his knuckles “And that is pretty much all you need to know of the matter, so, do I tell Eldin to expect you for training tomorrow?”

 “Yes, I’ll put all my strength into it.”

 “An admirable disposition.”

Link fell silent as he watched the sunset from the high perch of the city. Faron remained by his side, although he had no idea what the blind man was even thinking about or looking at. The sky broke into vivid shades of orange and purple as the golden shine of day vanished into the night. 


	8. Seven Hidden Moves

The mossy stone collided with his shoulder once more as Link was knocked to the ground. His muscles were beginning to ache more so than usual. It seemed Ikanan soldiers trained in sparring halls and courtyards of stone. Nothing was smoothed as the surfaces were rough, almost jagged at times, and allowed nature to have its way with its surface. A very unforgiving surface to practise on as the slightest mistake was met with pain as you hit the rock. Still he picked himself up again to face his tutor.

Eldin was as physically imposing as Ganondorf, covered in red and gold plate armour that only added to his fearsome presence. His fiery eyes reflected a soul that had seen nothing but war. Scars from the claws of a terrifying beast twisted his features. He had informed Link that they were caused by a Gomess therianthrope, a shape shifter and a very powerful one at that. She apparently twisted into the form of a dragon to attack him. That tale brought Link’s thoughts back to the strange trio he met in the Great Bay. Was it possible that Sable was the same person who attacked Eldin? Surely not, she seemed so much younger than him.

With sword in hand, Link advanced once more, dodging Eldin’s first sweep of his long sword only to be brutally kicked in the chest. He fell the ground once more, this time gasping for breath. The clatter of armour proceeded Eldin as the Ikanan looked down upon him. He shook his head slightly “You’re not adapting, you keep fighting like you can see with both eyes.” Offering a hand to Link “You have a lot of skill, but if you’re going to become a swordsman again, you’re going to need to refine it to the point where your sword and your shield are merely extensions of your body.”

Link was pulled to his feet, he wheezed “The final stage of mastery…”

 “You also can’t expect your opponents to play fair so you need to learn how to throw a punch or kick amidst the fray.” Eldin eyed up his shield “That can also become a powerful weapon in the right hands.”

 “I’ve been training for years, only getting better… why is it so hard now?”

 “Because before you could manage by being relatively good at swordplay, now you have to be a master of it. I’ve seen all I need to and I know how to progress.” Eldin nodded confidently “Your training will be complete when you have mastered the seven hidden moves of the Ikana.”

Link paused momentarily “You… you’d really teach me secret knowledge from your kingdom?”

 “If you are indeed the champion of the goddesses, you will need these skills to survive. It is considered a rite of passage among those chosen by the Golden Goddesses, Lanayru, Faron and I all mastered them when we became their envoys. Now it is your turn to do so.”

 “What are these moves anyway?”

 “Ending blow, shield attack, back slice, helm splitter, mortal draw, jump strike and finally, the great spin. The question is, do you possess the power, wisdom and courage to wield them?”

He nodded back confidently, Link then raised his sword once more and launched into a charge. Eldin countered elegantly, his sword moving slightly to block Link’s grand actions. The two kept sparring throughout the afternoon and late into the night.

* * *

 

A month passed in the blink of an eye, from dawn until dusk Link would train under Eldin’s guidance. His resolve remained indomitable leading to exponential growth in his skill with a blade. In his quieter moments Link’s mind would never stray from his concerns of Hyrule’s fate. Although he was grateful to the Ikanans, he knew he would eventually have to leave much to Lanayru’s concern. The priest was still adamant about his recovery often requesting that Eldin go easy on him during sparring sessions. Faron and Eldin on the other hand, seemed to be encouraging Link to leave by helping him as best they could. All of them could agree on one fact, that Link was indeed the champion of their goddesses, and as the former envoys of such deities they vowed to aid Link in his journey.

Strangely Link could find no information anywhere in the Ikana archives or any scholar that could tell him about this creature called Bellum. It was clear that Bellum had some tie to Termina as Skull Kid, Tatl, Tael and the Gomess woman knew exactly what it was. From a strategic point of view, Link knew he had to find out more of this Bellum before his return to Hyrule. Armed with such knowledge he knew the events of his previous encounter would not repeat.

So now he stood in the sparring courtyard once more, only this time it was possibly the last time. Today he would attempt to best Eldin in formal combat, the first to draw blood would be the winner. Faron and Lanayru remained on the sidelines to referee the spectacle. Silence teased the tension between the two combatants as they strode towards each other. The stillness of the courtyard echoed as their swords were unsheathed. The world slowed as the blades stretched out to cross over one another, a gesture to show respect among fighters and a signal the duel had begun.

Link immediately charged forward, on the offensive, he raised his sword. Eldin instinctively motioned to block it with his shield, only to realise it was a trick as Link instead followed through with a shield bash and caught him unaware. As he stepped back from the blunt impact, Link leapt high and readied his blade overhead in a mighty arc. Using his shield like a massive club, Eldin swatted him from the air before the helm splitter could be delivered. Link crashed to the ground and rolled to his side to avoid Eldin’s follow through with a wild sword spin.

Eldin paused momentarily as Link vanished from his peripheral vision, sensing the technique about to be used, he leapt forward just to miss the twisting blade aimed at his exposed back. Link cursed under his breath, he was sure that back slice would create an opening. He was not given an opportunity to pause as he deflected a slash from Eldin. It was beyond him how such a giant weighed down in armour could be so agile. Every attack was met with a counter or a block, every advantage Link would muster was equally repelled. By now Link was beginning to revere the idea of experience, Eldin had lived through many wars and fought all kinds of foes. He had time on his side and the wisdom of learning from his actions. For the first time in many years, Link had found a swordsman that was at least his equal.

Very quickly, Link found himself on the defensive as he parried and blocked Eldin’s attacks. He then considered his options and finally came down to a single strategy. By far the riskiest of the hidden skills he had been taught. Link jumped back and away from Eldin then proceeded to sheath his sword.

Faron’s ears twitched at the sound “What are you doing!? Are you surrendering?”

Lanayru added with relief “Perhaps you’ve finally come to your senses?”

Eldin’s eyebrow cocked as a smirk crossed his face. He readied his sword and charged towards the seemingly defenceless Link.

Link stood his ground and did not falter as he watched his opponent race forward. When he was sure of the timing, Link drew his blade with wicked precision and speed. Eldin paused as he felt the blade rest against his exposed neck. The metal slightly bit into his skin and tore to reveal drops of crimson. He stepped back with a look of surprise on his face then bowed to Link.

 “You… you did it!?” Lanayru remarked, utterly flabbergasted.

Faron piped up “Did what? I didn’t hear anything other than a sword being drawn and someone charging, what’s happening?”

 “It would seem Link’s training is at an end,” Eldin clapped him on the shoulder “Well done, proceed through the trials of the goddesses with confidence. You now have the skill to face any challenge.”

Lanayru muttered to himself, still in a state of shock from the spectacle he had witnessed “He mastered them all in a month… I didn’t think it was humanly possible. Even Eldin didn’t master them that quickly.”

Eldin quietly corrected “I only took two months, Lanayru.”

The priest smiled to himself as he mused “I wonder what the goddesses have in store for you.”

 “Yeah! We should celebrate tonight, you can head off tomorrow.” Faron laughed, flailing his arms with excitement.

 “Watch it,” Lanayru screeched as he dodged his friend’s arm. He let out a sigh “Looks like we can’t keep you here after all… fine, we’ll help you gather supplies and you can leave on the morrow.”

“Thankyou, I… I don’t think you three realise just how much you’ve helped me.” Link smiled “I realise now that I would be dead if I wandered off after awakening.” He sheathed his sword and bowed “So thankyou for all you’ve done. It seems Din, Nayru and Farore were not wrong in choosing you as their envoys.”

 

* * *

 

At first light, Link had gathered his possessions and headed to the cliff face of the kingdom. Alongside Eldin and Lanayru, he his descent down the wooden elevator system to the floor of the valley. A small boat was tied to the nearby pier, the current of the river flowing strongly as it cascaded to the south. Lanayru remained on the jetty as Eldin helped him into the boat and secure his few possessions so they would not be lost amidst the rapids.

 “This should lead you directly into the main river of the swamp.” Lanayru gestured to the waters “You will emerge near the Tourist Hut at the edges, the Woods of Mystery is only a short walk to the east of there.”

Eldin added “That scrying stone Faron gave you will only resonate with the magic within that forest. It is powerless in the swamp.”

Link held the strange pendant given to him by Faron amidst the revelry last night. A black onyx gemstone carved into a point that hung on silver chain, beneath his fingers he could feel an elaborate pattern carved into its surface. Yet when you gazed upon it, no such details could be seen. The blackness of the stone seemed to speak to an abyss, far beyond the reach of mere mortals.

 “I know I keep saying it, but really, thankyou, you’ve all saved my life. But I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you.” Link bowed to them from the boat.

Eldin bowed to him “Have a safe journey. As much as I hate to admit it, but those deities in the forest may be your only lead for now.”

Lanayru waved his hand to trace the shape of a Triforce in the air “Farewell champion, and may the divinity of the golden goddesses protect you.”

The rope holding the boat to the jetty was cut, hurtling the small vessel down the rapids and safely between the impossibly high cliffs of the valley. A smirk crossed Link’s face as his journey continued onwards. He hoped it would not be long until he was back in Hyrule.

The cliffs filtered out abruptly as the wild overgrowth engulfed stone. Vines writhed and twisted through the rocks eventually leading back to trees that blotted out the sky. The water turned from crystal clear to opaque as the muddied banks crept around the river with curiosity. Giant trees remained stoic amidst the bright and peculiar flora that adorned the verdant hues. Fleshy petals lined with fangs accompanied by a sickly sweet aroma revealed their malicious agenda as they awaited their prey to foolishly come to them.

Overlooking the southern wilderness was a tall mountain shimmering with purple and pink light. The hollowed out volcano was the reason behind the emergence of the Southern Swamps. Water spewed forth from the earth, flooding the land all year round. The ancient ash acted as the perfect fertiliser to stimulate the flora into giant proportions. Link knew from his previous journey this mountain was known as Woodfall and also concealed a sacred temple of the Deku race. The boat ran up against a muddy bank, to the distance Link could see a familiar house on stilts with a jetty beneath it.

Given the direction of the tourist hut and the position of Woodfall, he could accurately chart his course over the few paths of dry land above the water level. He trekked on, alone in the early morning light as the plants slowly stirred to life beneath the sun’s radiance. The glade that greeted him was the last landmark before the Woods of Mystery. In the centre of it was a giant tree holding a small tree house in the shape of a red potion bottle. On various platforms along the trunk and on the swampy ground were giant vats that reeked of mysterious scents.

Entering the Woods of Mystery was akin to falling into a whole new world. The air was heavy with ether and the plants felt more alive and looked like that had grown in ancient era. Link could feel the spirits of nature running freely. A slight breeze passing his shoulder or a shiver from invisible eyes watching him, the same feelings he had sensed on his many travels through the Lost Woods. He paused as he felt a warmth against his chest, fishing the scrying stone from beneath his tunic revealed the patterns he felt were indeed real. They shimmered with red and blue light to create a crest of Majora’s Mask amidst clean formations of strange runes. The stone then twirled, dancing upwards to gesture in a direction. Link nodded to himself, entrusting his life to the whim of an enchanted relic as he went forth, deeper into the forest.


	9. Suspicious intentions

In the secret grove that was neither here or there, she waited. The shard of the Twilight Realm that had been thrust into the earth millennia ago took pride of place among the trees. The large monolith glowed with other worldly energies and was the catalyst that created the Woods of Mystery. Although it was never clear as to how or why this stone woven with crimson and azure light was brought to Termina. It still served a purpose to the deities who had taken up residence in this mortal coil. As the world of light could not allow them to maintain their true forms, they had to disguise themselves in mortal forms. Only when near the monolith could they temporarily return to their true divine states.

Knelt before the monolith was one such creature, she appeared to be of Gerudo descent with dark skin and elegantly pointed features. However that was where the similarities ended. Draped in black robes etched with patterns of arcane, her hair was split between two cascading manes of fire and ice. She slowed her breathing and meditated in the calm morning light. The sound of sticks snapping underfoot triggered her to open her eyes. She turned around to see a young man with a Gomess scrying stone in hand.

Link was bewildered by the sight of the monolith, never before had he even seen such a thing in all his travels. More perplexing was why Twinrova was now standing before it, only it was not the same Gerudo witch he fought in the Spirit Temple. The air around her was electric with unimaginable arcane energy. Her eyes simultaneously flickered with the intensity of an inferno and the wrath of a blizzard. Even her robes and hair floated weightlessly, like she was caught underwater.

Her voice was strong and mocking “What’s the matter kid? Never seen a higher arcane deity before? Besides, I think you’re looking for someone else.”

 “You’re Twinrova? But… how are you…” Link shook his head in disbelief.

 “I’ve heard of those childish Golden Goddesses placing crude pantomimes of wild deities in their sacred world. Perhaps you’ve encountered my copy?”

Link nodded “The Twinrova I know of is insane and cruel… she also didn’t seem as powerful as you are.” He shivered, unable to approach her as she emanated an aura of extreme heat and cold.

 “So…” Twinrova waved a finger at him, the image of the Triforce appeared on his hand once more “Pathetic little puppet, what do you want?”

 “Puppet? How am I puppet!?” Link stood tall and proud “I am the Hero of Time, it is my duty to protect Hyrule from evil an-”

 “Be quiet, this is exactly the kind of mindless dribble expected of the followers of those Goddesses, if you can really call them that. You have no imagination, no ability to think for yourself, you just wait around for some divine sign to tell you what to do. You act like a good little puppet, always in wait until the master pulls your strings.” She laughed wickedly as he scowled back at her “Some hero you are.” Twinrova then paused as she eyed him up, her eyebrow cocked as she stroked her jawline “But… there is something curious about you. I can see it in your eyes. No wonder you caught her attention all those years ago.”

Before Link could inquire, he felt his body break into a cold sweat as Twinrova was before him in an instance. She knelt down to look him in the eyes “Maybe there is hope for you, little puppet, you did save Termina all those years ago from the Man-Eater and Majora’s Wrath.”

He stunned that she could recognise him “It… It was the right thing to do.”

 “You don’t even realise that you directly shunned the will of your goddesses by doing so, they despise Termina. Their arrogance and your actions have released Bellum into Hyrule.”

Link took a step back, nearly throwing his arms in the air as he exclaimed “How do you know all this!?”

She casually shrugged “Word travels fast in the Twilight Realm, I’m immortal so I know a lot things and I’m friends with the minion of a primal deity.”

He calmed himself with a deep breath, his mind returning to a more logical line of thought “Who are the primal deities anyway? I’ve never heard of them in Hyrule.”

 “The main ones are the Giants, the Man-Eater or you would know it as the spirit in Majora’s Mask, the Oni or the Fierce Deity, the Golden Goddesses, the Dark Dragon, the Demon King, the Wanderer and the Soul Stealer. Of course they all have different names to mortals.”

 “Do you know of any deity called Bellum at all? I’ve seen it in Hyrule, looks like a giant squid with golden eyes… it’s also why I must return there as soon as possible.”

 “Bellum? Haven’t heard that one in ages,” Twinrova laughed “I think you’ll find he’s called the Soul Stealer. Really tricky one, he feeds on spiritual energies and preys on mortals like a master strategist. However he’s not as good as the Man-Eater, she’s the real master of manipulation as you saw during the Moonfall of Termina. I guess you could call him a harvester of souls, he doesn’t really stand for anything like the other deities, which makes him quite dangerous.”

 “Great,” Link remarked sarcastically as he raked his brain “How do I fight a primal deity?”

 “Worry about that later, I’d be more concerned about Bellum’s curse of enfeeblement you’ve got writhing all over you. Lanayru’s frail little blessings can’t protect you now.”

 “WHAT!?” He instinctively looked all over his body for some visible trace of the wicked magic.

 “Tricky little curse that one, great for adventurous warrior types like you. Basically any injury you inflict on your opponent is also inflicted on you, oh, and the injury you get is usually close to a fatal blow.” A laugh escaped her as she looked at the foolish Hylian trying to process everything she had said. It was almost like he had no idea how it all worked. “Yeah, you’re going to need to talk to the Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm. She’s the only one that can help you now and maybe help you find a way into Hyrule again.” She smiled as his mood seemed to brighten “Go see your old friend Skull Kid, he knows her. He’s also beside himself with worry after you went missing and then wound up among the Ikana. Knowing what he’s like he’s probably playing that damned trumpet in the fields outside the Southern Swamp.” A sly smirk crossed her lips “And stop being so high and mighty. Next time, the person you’re speaking to may not be as… civil as I.”

 “Very well… thankyou, I guess?” Link took a few steps back, wanting to put as much space as possible between him and Twinrova. His wary eyes never left her “I’ll be on my way now.”

 “Have a safe trip.” Twinrova laughed to herself as she heard him crash to the ground. A few curses were muttered as he picked himself up and wandered off into the forest.

 

* * *

 

With the sun rising over the horizon, Skull Kid reluctantly put out his small lantern. A strangely designed contraption made of stone that felt light enough to carry in one hand. Runic crests adorned it and were the source of the cool, blue flame it housed when he wanted it. The lantern had been a gift from Sable a few years back. An ancient artefact she had rebuilt from shards of Fused Shadows in the Stone Towers. Even now he still felt a little embarrassed to have such a rare treasure in his possession. Yet it served him well all these years, at night no monsters dared to strike him as the lantern warded them off with its ghostly light. But he learnt the hard way to never light it near Romani Ranch unless he wanted to be used as target practice by Romani.

Another night passed by him sitting the fields and playing his little songs to bury his dismay. He hoped Link was still alive, all of this was his fault. Perhaps if he had hurried he may had been able to explain the situation more so that Link would not have fallen from the shadow warp.  He buried his face in his hands as he sighed loudly to himself.

Tael perched on Skull Kid’s broad rim hat “Are you sure you don’t want to try going to Ikana? Maybe we can ask them what’s going on.”

 “Are you nuts!?” Tatl remarked “Last time we went there they tried to kill us! They’re not reasonable people.”

Skull Kid corrected “Well… that’s kinda fair because of what Majora’s Mask made me do.”

Tatl added “But I still don’t think waiting around is going to help, it’s been months since Link was dropped off there.”

 “He must have really been hurt.” Tael nervously commented.

 “To be honest I’m more interested in that blue fairy he was with at the temple.” Tatl piped up, circling in the air overhead “I mean, she willingly led him into a trap with a primal deity. A very evil one too! Isn’t that a little suspicious?”

 “Maybe that fairy didn’t know any better? I mean, isn’t Hyrule supposed to be barred off from wild deities? So how could she know?”

Skull Kid remained silent as the two fairies teased out their observations. He preoccupied himself with looking at his trumpet. The design was based on Deku Pipes only modified to be more compact and with a trumpet mouthpiece so people with actual mouths could play it. The fairies were in the swing of an argument as they ascended higher and higher. All Skull Kid could hear were garbled cursing overhead. He glanced over to the horizon as he attempted to recall the general direction of Veran’s caravan and where they had stopped for the night.

 “Skull Kid!”

He immediately span on the heels of his feet, his eyes widened with disbelief. Instinctively he sprinted towards the green clad swordsman who had emerged from the roads leading to the swamps.

Link suddenly regretted calling out at the sight of his friend. He found himself falling flat on his back as Skull Kid crash tackled him into a hug. The straw faced entity chattered “I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean for you to fall out of the vortex! I’m just glad you’re okay now and-”

 “Calm down,” Link pried him off as he stood up and dusted himself off “I still owe you from what happened in the Forest Temple.”

 “But…” Skull Kid pointed to the leather eye patch on Link’s face “You’re blind now!?”

 “I’m still adjusting to it, but it’s better than being dead… how did you know about Bellum anyway and how did you get into Hyrule!?”

 “Getting to Hyrule, you’ll need to ask Veran. As for Bellum, the monolith told me.”

 “A monolith?”

 “Yeah, it’s a big onyx thing in the Woods of Mystery. It glowed gold instead of blue and red. When I asked Koume and Kotake about it, they said that Bellum had finally broken free of the shackles that had bound him.” Skull Kid lowered his head “He was only free because of what Majora’s Mask did, his banishment was linked to the powers of the Giants so… when all that happened… they kinda… broke.”

Link knelt down to his level “Skull Kid, you can’t keep blaming yourself for what happened. Majora’s Mask had possessed you.”

 “But I let her possess me. I’ve been studying its origins for years now… I’ve accepted it as part of my past, but it still… it still hurts some times.” He shook his head, smiling back at Link “So how have you been for all these years? Did you find your friend?”

 “Yeah, I found Navi only recently. I saw all kinds of places along the way too. I’m sorry I never made it back to Termina, to be honest I don’t really know how you come here in the first place.”

Skull Kid circled the point of his shoe in the dirt as he sheepishly admitted “There is a reason for that.”

 “LINK!” screamed a cheerful voice followed by a golden fairy crashing into Link’s head.

He straightened up again, waving the fairy away from his face “Good to see you again, Tatl… I think.”

Tael piped up as he remained near Skull Kid “Wow! You really came back!”

Tatl fumed “Bit late though, how many years has it been!?”

 “What happened to your eye!? Did the Ikanans do that!?”

 “No, it’s fine, I just can’t see out of it anymore.” Link gently asked “We can talk more as we walk, but right now I need help with dispelling a curse.” He glanced over at Skull Kid “Apparently you know where I can find the Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm.”

Tael circled around him curiously “What kind of curse?”

 “I think it was a curse of enfeeblement.”

 “Those are nasty! Keep in mind I don’t think anyone has ever seen it in action before, but it does show up in bedtime stories.”

 “Lucky it’s spring at the moment,” Tatl added “All the monsters are nesting or caring for their young so it’s safe to travel the roads. If you had to fight, well… there’s no telling what could happen but it wouldn’t be good.”

Skull Kid whistled to get their attention, he laughed as he skipped away from them “Come on, let’s catch up with the others. They’ll know what to do.”


	10. A quick detour to the pub

Their camp site was untouched by bandits and monsters for yet another night. Iris sat happily on the step ladder of the caravan drinking water from a glass bottle. It had been freshly melted by a blast of icy magic followed by an inferno. She had finally gotten the hang of that spell combination without shattering the bottle in the process. As she reclined and mused to herself, the area circled by enchanted bonfires she had constructed during the night. The kind that erupted into the illusions of fiery demons at her command. Iris nearly pitied the fools who did not learn the ways of the arcane. Life was just more fun when you had some semblance of control over the elements.

Still it was early morning, she wondered what fate had befallen her travelling companions. Veran and Sable had warped back into the Stone Tower Temple to do whatever it is Gomess did in that place. Onox on the other hand had disappeared, muttering something about having a date with a beautiful dancing girl. Iris had spent most of the night wondering what woman would possibly find him attractive. He resembled the offspring of a Goron and a Terminan, even the most intimidating bandit gangs would recoil in fear at the sight of him. So it was beyond the Deku witch’s mind as to who or what would ask him out.

Approaching over a nearby hill came an all too familiar imp with fairies of darkness and light in tow. He cartwheeled through the long grass and back flipped into circle of the campsite. She applauded him with a cheer “Ten points! Perfect landing and execution!”

Skull Kid flipped into a hand stand, tilting his head at Iris “Really!? Great, it means all that practise is paying off.”

Iris nodded and laughed to herself, bringing her bottle up to her mouth once more. It was then she noticed an unwelcome swordsman. Water snorted out of her mouth, bringing a baggy sleeve to her face as she gasped “WOW! You’re still alive!? No way is that possible.”

Link furrowed his brow when he came face to face with her, he could not hide his frown as he tried to be friendly “Yes, um… thanks for helping me out of the ocean.”

 “Wait, you two know each other?” Skull Kid smiled as Link and Iris nodded and exchanged wary glares “Great, I don’t have to worry about introducing you two.”

Tatl circled around the camp site “Hey Iris, where’re the others?”

She shrugged “No idea, they should be back here by now.”

Tael added as he perched on Skull Kid’s hat “Well, you know what Veran and Sable are like once they get into doing… well, whatever it is they do in the Stone Towers.”

Link glanced over at the looming towers in the horizon to the east. He knew the door was sealed at the foot of the giant structures and the Ikana were determined to protect it. So it was perplexing to consider how anyone could ascend them now.

  “I think Onox may still be in the bar in town. It’s just I need someone that looks like an adult so I can actually get in.” Iris blew her leafy bangs out of her eyes “I mean really, why can’t Terminans learn how to tell how old Dekus are?”

Skull Kid laughed “Oh yeah, Onox had his date last night! With that pretty dancing girl.”

 “I reckon she never showed up and he spent the night getting wasted on Chateau Romani… again.”

 “He really doesn’t deserve to be treated so badly.”

 “Anyway, I can’t be sure unless- hey, wait a minute!” Iris leapt to her feet and scampered to Link’s side. She grabbed his hand “You look like an adult!”

Link bluntly responded “Because I am one.”

 “Yeah, yeah, come on! I need you to help me get into the bar!”

He turned his head towards Skull Kid as Iris dragged him off towards the eastern gate of Clock Town. The two fairies were already giggling among themselves while Skull Kid nervously shrugged with a smile. Link gritted his teeth at the thought that these people were the ones who could help him. Although he could not currently fathom how they could do so.

 

* * *

 

East Clock Town had not changed drastically since Link last visited Termina. It still remained a tidier district for the upper class that housed the town’s attractions. The buildings were a little more developed, some writhing with steam powered gears to power the contraptions within. The Clock Tower loomed over the city like a stoic giant, endlessly grinding its gears to the rhythm of life. Iris led Link down the cobbled street to the door of the Milk Bar which conveniently was near the gate. On the opposite side was the Stock Pot Inn, a young child with light violet hair and blue eyes was sweeping outside the doorway. She had the pretty face of Anju and the smirk of Kafei.

Link had every incentive to go over and talk to her. Mainly out of curiosity to see how the tragic stricken lovers had fared since the Moonfall. However he was not granted this pleasure as Iris was already banging on the solid bar door. The walls surrounding it looked welcoming with swirling warm colours adorning the stone.

A flap slid open at eye level, noticing Link, before the click of a lock unbolting followed. The weary bar staff looked down at Iris and rolled his eyes “Not you again. You tricked me!”

 “I’m old enough to be in here.” She walked right past him “Besides I’m here to get my friend.”

 “Oh, the big guy? He’s at the bar.”

Link politely nodded his head at the weary staff and followed after Iris. A part of him felt like he needed to be there in case the hot heated Deku lost her manners.

The monochromatic room was illuminated by a few overhanging lanterns. The stage was devoid of any performers. Iris bounded down the creaky wooden stairs, nearly catching her boot on the red and yellow rug that lined it. She walked past the tables in the process of being tidied for the next shift. Hunched over the bar and nearly falling off the stool was Onox. Empty bottles and glasses surrounded him as his head remained slumped on the cow patterned counter top. Mr Barten had given up on trying to rouse him as he attentively wiped glasses at the opposite end of the bar. The clock on the wall kept ticking, reminding him that he had to close up soon and had to get the last patron out. Glancing up he saw Iris heading over to him with a casual wave. He shook his head at her, technically she still had a life ban from drinking here, but he realised he needed her help. He gestured to Onox and then made a motion to signal that he wanted the drunkard out.

Link made it to the bottom of the stairs to see Iris perched on the bar beside Onox. He was almost taken back by the sight of it, he had no doubts that Onox was a large man, but compared to the size of the furniture of the bar and even Iris, he was as a big as a Goron. Quietly Link approached, feeling more like an outsider than ever as Iris tried to get some response from him. Searing his hair did not get anything, neither did dropping ice blocks down the back of his neck.

 “Why don’t you just try talking to him?” Link suggested, he could see the staff were growing restless.

Iris shoved his shoulders with the weight of her body “Hey! Get up already!”

Onox groaned, his face still buried in his folded arms “Why didn’t she come?”

 “Because she’s a jerk and you should forget about her. Now come on, we got to go.”

He let out a bestial growl and endeavoured to sit upright. However he quickly face planted back onto the counter the moment he had succeeded. Iris leapt down from the counter, fireball in hand as she tossed it at his backside.

 “Stop it,” Link grabbed her by the wrists, easily lifting her off the ground. He struggled to remain in control as she kicked the air wildly “You’re making a scene and acting as bad as a moblin.”

She landed on the ground with a clumsy thud as he dropped her. Dusting herself off they both saw Onox rise to his feet shakily. Iris threw her arms upwards as she thundered “Then let’s go already!”

The door of the bar slammed shut behind the trio. Onox instinctively put an arm up to block the sun’s harsh light. Link was growing uneasy as he followed after Iris and Onox, nervously smiling at yet another wary Terminan on their way to the field. The lumbering giant ahead of him was staggering about with each step while making noises Link could only describe as a dodongo with a tooth ache that had just swallowed a bomb flower. His concerns lessened somewhat at the sight of Skull Kid, Tatl and Tael again upon their approach to the caravan. The lively sprite was currently cartwheeling along the grass with a jester hatted woman somersaulting behind him.

Sable unfurled on the ground, laughing out loud “That’s it, I’m too dizzy now…”

Tatl lingered over her face “Ha! Told you no one can beat Skull Kid at anything acrobatic.”

 “Well, he does have an advantage with being made of straw and shadows.”

Tael cheered “That’s true, he doesn’t have to worry about bones or muscles or that gloopy red stuff that comes out of fleshy things.”

 “You mean blood?” correct Tatl

 “Yeah! Gloopy red stuff!”

Iris bellowed loudly “We’re back and Ox was ditched last night.” Eliciting another growl from Onox while he stumbled near the caravan. He dropped to his knees and crashed down onto the soft grass, lying down in the middle of the field.

Skull Kid waved his hands in front of his face “Whoa, how much did he drink!? He reeks!”

He rumbled back “Exactly… a hundred… bottles…”

Link was perplexed “Where did you get twenty thousand rupees from!?”

 “Gave them treasure we swiped from the pirate fortress.”

Iris remarked “Well as long as it’s from your share of it.”

 “Wait a minute, you’re that Link guy from a few weeks back, yeah?” Sable added as she noticed him “Well, good to see you made it.” Slyly adding to Iris “You owe me twenty rupees.”

 “Why is everyone so surprised that I’m still alive?” Link shook his head, bringing his fingers to pinch the bridge of his nose. Of all the people in Hyrule that could help him, it just had to be these people. He knelt down to Skull Kid’s level “Are you sure you haven’t made any other friends that could help me?”

He casually answered “The Giants are too busy protecting Termina.”

 “Besides, the one who could help you is Veran.” Tael happily contributed “She knows everything there is to know about magic.”

 “At this point I’d be happy if she could tell me where to find the Great Fairy of Twilight. Then I could leave you all to do…” he noticed Sable and Iris trying to get Onox upright again “Whatever it is you do… and you should probably let him sleep for a while. He’s clearly drunk.”

Sable informed “We need to get him up so we can keep travelling.”

Iris rapped a fist on his chest “Look at the size of this guy, there’s no way we could carry him and he’d break the caravan if we strapped him to the roof.”

 “Yeah, we learnt that from experience.”

 “Veran was not happy with us.” Iris and Sable both shook their heads with smirks on their faces. Onox was still hazy minded, his arms braced on his thighs as his head remained lowered.

 “And I’m not happy with you now.”

Everyone jumped at the sound of her voice, it was so cold, so authoritative. A blue skinned woman emerged from the caravan, she did not so much as walk but slinked her way around. Link was the first to speak as he realised it was the same woman that was at the Forest Temple and the one he met at the Carnival of Time. “Ms Veran I presume?”

She nodded back at him “Such manners, yes, I’m Veran.” A quick look over him as she pondered out loud, “Now what is a handsome and relatively sane looking swordsman doing with these walking disasters?”

Tatl blurted out “Hey! I object!”

 “You know I didn’t mean you, your brother or Skull Kid.”

Link ignored the others as he politely implored “Actually I’m looking for the Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm, I need her help-”

 “To break the curse of enfeeblement and get back to Hyrule?”

 “Yes… how did you know?”

 “You stink of demonic energy, I smelt you before I even saw you.” She appraised him once more with a smile “And you’re clearly not a native to Termina.”

He hesitated for a moment “So… can you help me?”

 “The great fairy you seek lives in the temple of the Stone Towers. As for the way back into Hyrule, well, you’ll need Skull Kid’s help with that.”

Link saw the imp playfully dancing about with Iris in the corner of his eye.

 “I can see your uncertainty,” Veran laughed “But believe me, I want to get rid of Bellum just as much as you do.”

 “Of course, you were there in the temple when-”

 “Why don’t get a pot of tea brewing? We can plot our next moves.”

 “Wait a minute, this guy’s coming with us!?” Sable protested as she quietly took Veran by the arm, her voice dropped to a whisper “Vera, darkness and light don’t mix. He can do some freaky light magic thing and I don’t think it’s safe for us to be around him.”

 “Oh believe me, I get the feeling he has the same feeling about you.” Veran laughed melodically as she headed into the caravan to gather the utensils for tea. Link nervously stood across from Sable, both of them eyed each other up with suspicion.


	11. Distrust

A pleasant sunny day progressed while Link sat around the smouldering campfire. Veran sat beside him with a map of Termina upon the ground. Sable was opposite him and staring daggers, her arms folded across her body in silent protest. Iris and Skull Kid were hardly paying attention as they cartwheeled and ran around in the background like lunatics. Tatl and Tael soared alongside them, daring each other to dart through the flame rings Iris conjured. Onox was still mostly quiet as he sat, hunched over a vat of what Veran referred to as a miracle hangover cure. There was something unsettling about the whole situation, Link continually felt perplexed as to why Veran would be so eager to help. He had only caught a glimpse of the woman a few times in his life and yet he felt like he knew her from somewhere. His raked his memory trying to work out an answer this riddle.

Her smile was genuine yet held a venomous undertone, perhaps aided by her unusual skin and eye colours “So basically to meet the Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm, you’ll need to enter the Twilight Realm. It can be done with the right reagents and location.”

He took another sip of tea from his mug “Which are?”

 “The venom of a Forest Fox, the scale of an Abyss Serpent, the blood of a shadow and finally, a magma crystal. They can be combined into a toxin that will temporarily banish you to the Twilight Realm, so long as it’s drunk within the Stone Tower Temple.”

Sable coldly added “If not, you’ll just have a slow and extremely painful death.”

 “When I reach the Twilight Realm… what then?” Link remained a little on edge. He could not for the life of him work out moral alignments of these people. He knew he could trust Skull Kid, Tatl and Tael, but he knew nothing of the others.

 “Depends on what you appear as on the other side.”

 “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

 “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.” Veran shot a glare at Sable who merely pouted back to her. She then calmly informed “Firstly though, we should head north. The crystal will be the hardest to track down. The rest is easily accessible.”

 “Thanks,” Link returned the cup to Veran, he stood and adjusted his sheathed sword and shield strapped to his back “I’ll be on my way then.”

Veran coldly dictated “With a curse like that, I think not. You’ll be travelling with us.”

Iris tumbled over herself from the announcement while Onox lazily lifted his head, eyebrows raised. Sable looked ropable as she stammered “You can’t be serious!? I don’t think this is a good idea.”

 “Well I say it is a good idea.” Veran glared daggers back at Sable, the other woman backed down completely.

 “Fine, I’ll see you in mountains in the evening.” Sable jumped to her feet, she waved as she stormed off in the opposite direction.

Link nervously asked “I don’t understand, did I do something wrong?”

Skull Kid and Iris shook their heads and shrugged in response.

Onox offered some wisdom “Well… she may be a very good shape shifter and scholar, but she isn’t well trained when it comes to people. Then again, you stink of Ikana. Don’t think we’re willing to trust you yet.”

Link coldly replied “And what makes you think I even trust you?”

Veran stood between them, defiantly folding her arms over her body “Because I for one, want to stop Bellum. We have the same goal in mind so why shouldn’t we form an alliance?”

 “Because this is a little too suspicious for my liking. I mean, who or what are you all anyway?”

 “I’ll tell you when you’re ready to listen.”

 “That doesn’t make sense!”

 “I said,” she put her hand over Link’s mouth “I’ll tell you when you’re ready to listen.”

Wordlessly Onox rose to his feet to prepare the caravan for their journey. Iris and Skull Kid quickly bounded after him to scamper up onto the roof. Veran slowly lowered her hand to see Link still frowned at her. She laughed under her breath and pinched his cheek, it was adorable that he thought he could intimidate her.

Skull Kid waved to him enthusiastically “Come on Link! Ride on the roof with us!”

Tatl laughed “To think we’re travelling again, just like old times.”

 “Hey, talking glitter puffs! Make sure I don’t fall asleep while steering this thing.” Onox remarked as he took his place at the reins.

Tael’s wings lowered nervously “Depends, are you going to swat at me? Because that really hurt last time.”

Iris was already sitting cross legged on a pile of travelling bags strapped to the roof. She casually remarked “If he does it again, I’ll freeze him a little bit.”

Onox whined “Does it have to be frost?”

 “Yeah, because you’re fireproof, why would I use something that has no effect on you?”

 “Hey Tatl,” Link gestured to the golden fairy to swoop in close as he walked to the caravan. He started climbing the small ladder that led to the roof. His voice dropped to a whisper “Can I really trust these people?”

 “Well…” She flew into his hat, nestling close to his ear “You can. It’s just they’re a little… different, that’s all. But they are good people, they helped Skull Kid when he went a bit crazy after the Moonfall.”

 “Skull Kid… I should’ve been there for him.”

 “You had your own path to follow Link. You couldn’t stay in Termina forever.” Tatl emerged from his hat as he finished his ascent. The caravan was already in motion, trundling off the beaten path as they migrated north. Their next destination lied in the mountains, the domain of the Goron tribe.

 

* * *

 

South Clock Town was bustling with the morning markets. The Clock Tower was at its heart, an unwavering monument that was a mystery. No one knew who built it or when it was constructed. It stood like a mechanical Giant that watched over Termina. The clock face constantly shifted and twitching to a familiar rhythm. For centuries it had puzzled historians and academics as no one could theorise its true purpose. There was no explanation for the way it unhinged at the Carnival of Time. Most had learnt to accept it as a gift of the Giants, albeit a ludicrous belief. No one dared enter the painted doors at the foot of the tower either.

Sable walked through the markets, receiving the usual odd looks from bystanders. Her discoloured skin and eyes had always confused others as she permanently appeared diseased. A sigh escaped her lips as she looked around, so much remained the same since she left town. Like the unchanging tower before her, everything in this town moved to its own clockwork tempo. She knew she had changed, now she was aware of who and what she really was. Her dedication to learning the history of the Gomess and mastering therianthropism had made this divide so great that she knew she could never live here again.

In the background she could see the guards interrupting the mischief of the most recently crowned Bombers. Jim and the others were now too old for such a childish thing so instead they roamed the town, often yelled at by shopkeepers for loitering. Mutoh and his carpenters still worked on maintaining the town. His scruffy, bad tempered dog still frolicked and attempted to attack Dekus on sight. Even when the carnival was not on, the town was always vibrant with colours. Vivid patterns decorated the floors and walls. The only blank surfaces were on the cobbled frame of the Clock Tower. Sable came to the door, the patterned frame was academically acknowledged as the first painting. It was what spearheaded the aesthetics of Terminan culture.

The ancient wood groaned as the heavy door was shoved open. An eerily familiar melody sang in whispers through the musty air. Within was the churning framework of gears that kept the clock ticking. All powered by a small canal deep in the earth. Sable calmly walked down the mossy stairs and walkways. A haunting aura illuminated the chambers as she came to the greatest enigma of the tower. At the bottom of it all was a stone door marked with the brand of a gear. It was forgotten, surrounded by rubble and ruin. The smooth rock had no possible way of opening either. No handle, no lock, no switch or lever.

This was not the first time Sable had come here. The tower itself proved a curiosity she could not resist, yet frustratingly she had no answers to her questions. She placed a hand on the stone door, darkness engulfing it as it fragmented to form a small portal of darkness. Azure light zigzagged among the shadows in angular patterns. The darkness continued up most of her arm, her eyes reflected an abyss as she gave her mind over to the magic.

All Gomess had some gift with possession regardless of what magic they chose to specialise in. As part of a bargain, Veran had taught Sable how to read the weave of fate by possessing the lingering memories of locations. It finally explained the story behind the saying, if walls could speak. However this particular location always proved too challenging to accurately read. The laws of time appeared to be skewed within the Clock Tower, most attempts resulted in twisting nightmarish and unfathomable visions.

Sable knew though, she had to try. She recalled Veran’s sudden departure from the caravan with Skull Kid, then she later discovered they had gone to this tower and shortly after, the mysterious Link appeared in Termina. She knew they were all connected somehow but there was no way Veran would ever explain anything to her. It was an insane longshot, but maybe, today she could make these walls speak to her.

The darkness that enveloped her senses faded to a mist that engulfed her vision as she gazed around the chamber. The air was heavy and shades of orange mingling with black, like the Twilight Realm. She witnessed the vivid silhouettes of Skull Kid, Tatl, Tael and Veran before the stone door. More shockingly, was that it opened to reveal an all-consuming darkness that they bravely entered. The vision swirled once more to reveal another leaving the same doorway. A Deku child with a familiar green cap ran through with Tatl in tow. Then came a strange man with a large pack wreathed in all manner of masks. Another whirl in the magical energies revealed the Deku child’s face falling off and a much younger Link stood in his place with a mask at his feet.

Sable began to feel a crippling pain pulsing through her as she kept focused. The visions twitched erratically before her. The chamber broke away into oblivion to reveal a field with four children running through it. They appeared to be child copies of the mask salesman, each wearing the mask of a Giant’s shadow. Sitting beneath a tree was a lone boy wearing Majora’s Mask. He stood as Link approached him. Another flash revealed a battle between deities as a harlequin monstrosity was conjured from Majora’s Mask in order to fight with a tall warrior wielding a helix blade.

The visions shattered as she let out a scream of pain, tumbling forward to her knees to prop herself up against the door. It took a few minutes for her vision to readjust and her mind to achieve clarity. She slid down to sit on the cold ground, her whole body trembling. This Link was far more dangerous than she first assumed.


	12. It's all going a little too smoothly

The northern mountains looked radically different to when Link last visited. However that was when Goht was unleashed and permanently cloaked the region with an inhospitable snow storm. The Goron tribe was nearly killed in that demonic blizzard. The sight before him now was a far cry from that icy wasteland. The earth was dotted with verdant tufts of plants. Tall trees stood proud to peer into the horizon. The jagged ranges swirled around them like the spines of unfathomable serpents. The caravan trundled onwards and moved with the curving path to venture deeper into the mountains.

The pointed house of Zubora and Gabora passed by. A bonfire was lighted outside as weary merchants took a brief reprieve in relative safety. Link noticed how they went on edge at the sight of the caravan. Nervously watching Onox, Iris and Skull Kid as they all pass by, although they did not seem to pay any mind to the dehumanising stares. It was like the merchants were keeping an eye on a pack of Wolfos or a swarm of Dodongoes. Link waved back a little timidly, although the crowds ignored him equally. Turning away and resuming to their fire and food by the time they reached the end of the clearing.

 “It’s like that everywhere we go,” Tatl remarked quietly, she had noticed Link even if the others were too busy “People fear them.”

He kept his voice soft, noticing how Iris, Skull Kid and Tael were too busy playing their own little games while Onox kept control of the reins. “Why is that? Sure, they’re a little… eccentric. But I’ve never seen random bystanders react like that before. It’s similar to how Hylians react to the slight mention of the Gerudo.”

 “Are they like the Gerudo pirates of the Great Bay?”

 “They’re much more dangerous in Hyrule, a whole army of bandits from the desert that constantly raid and pillage.”

 “But you said they lived in a desert? So can you really blame them for stealing? They live in a really bad part of the world.”

 “Perhaps you have a point there.” Link nodded to himself, in his younger days he would have disagreed. Yet after travelling for so long, he had learnt a lot about his homeland and oddly found that Gerudos who lived in the provinces beyond Hyrule’s border were actually quite peaceful. They traded with merchants, were citizens of towns and were quite calm and wise women. He realised now he had a lot more to consider, now that he had seen the world. He made a note to discuss the Gerudo living conditions upon his next meeting with Princess Zelda. Perhaps there was another side to the story he did not know.

 

* * *

 

The late afternoon painted the sky golden by the time they reached the Goron Village. A series of crystal and stone domes studded the mountain side. Mere signals to indicate the various entrances to the network of caverns carved beneath the earth. As it was spring, the trees were verdant and a few Gorons were outside enjoying the sunlight and the cool breeze. Yet none seemed overly pleased to see them either, then again they did not scowl or glare like the merchants earlier. The caravan came to a halt outside one of the main entrances, a massive stone doorway on the side of a cliff. Vividly painted images of Gorons and monsters framed it with a primal beauty.

Onox leapt down from the caravan and began to set up the campsite for the evening. Untying the horses from the caravan and letting them rest beneath a tall pine tree. By the time Link, Iris and Skull Kid had climbed down, Veran had already emerged from her sanctuary. They left Onox to tend to the campsite while she led them to the doorway. Link was surprised by how easily Onox slung the various packs and supplies from the top of the caravan. He looked almost bored as he carelessly tossed a bag that would buckle the knees of the average Terminan. Oddly though, Skull Kid appeared reluctant to even approach the gate. He and Tael remained close to the caravan and tried to help Onox as best they could.

The others were leading the way as Link quickened his pace to catch up. The stone gates of the Goron city were wide open and welcome to all. He was greeted with the sight of the grand hall near the Elder’s chambers. The smooth stone walls were decorated with bright paintings depicting all kinds of legends. The floor spiralled around the room as a ramp as Gorons had a habit of rolling everywhere. Windows in the high curves of the ceiling revealed the pleasantly sunny sky.

 “Hey Gorko!” Iris cheered as she ran off. In all honesty Link had no idea how she was able to tell any of the Gorons apart.

A large mountain of rock and man turned from working a new mural. He set aside his paints just in time to be hugged by the energetic Deku. “Iris, good to see you again!”

She repositioned herself to sit comfortably on one of his massive shoulders “So what are you working on?”

 “The legacy of Darmani the third. Just adding the final touches to the details.”

Link marvelled at the extensive mural of the Goron hero wrestling with the mechanical monstrosity Goht within the Snowhead Temple. It really was an amazing work of art bursting with dynamic life and colour. He smiled to himself, pleased that Darmani’s tribe still revered him as a hero.

Veran remarked “Wow, you really caught Goht’s likeness.”

 “Thankyou, he was hardest to paint as I had to consult Big Goron about the details.”

Tael remarked “Why is Darmani wearing a green hat in this?”

 “For some reason, he donned a hat like that before going to the Snowhead Temple.” Gorko shrugged “No one’s exactly sure as to why he did so.”

Tatl bumped into Link’s head playfully, she could explain that reason right now.

Gorko looked over Link, Veran and Tatl “So where is Sable? Is she well? How is her thesis on Ikana history going?”

 “Yeah, she’s good but the thesis has hit a snag lately.” Iris gestured to the Goron to lean closer, she whispered into his ear “She’s recently been focusing on this magic rock that was found the Stone Towers. It’s called a Fused Shadow, although she can’t work out its purpose or how it came to be.”

Gorko laughed heartily “Well if it’s about a rock, then who’s better to ask than a Goron? Tell her to come visit some time.”

Tatl floated in front of his face “Speaking of rocks, we need some help.”

 “Yes, Mr Gorko,” Link politely nodded to him “Do you know where we could find a magma crystal?”

 “Magma crystals? Oh, are you looking to make some lava soup?” Gorko smiled broadly “Sure I can spare a couple? Are you staying just outside the city? I’ll bring them around dinner time.”

Link bowed “No we’re not going to cook with them, but thankyou.”

 “Really? But they add such a nice flavour kick to anything you’re making.”

 “Gorons use them as spices?” Veran shook her head feeling like an utter fool, she turned on her heels and headed out of the city. Muttering under her breath with frustration “Wow, things have changed in the past few centuries. Back in the old days, magma crystals were rare gems that wars were fought over. Now, HA! Now, they’re as common as salt and pepper.”

Link turned around just to see Veran storm off. Soon he found himself ignored as Gorko and Iris went on to talk about the mural he was painting. He was in the middle of a foreign city where no one really acknowledged him. It was a depressing reality he had learned to tolerate and accept through his travels. Tatl then playfully tossed the tail of his hat, reminding him that she was there. She then flew off, Link smiled to himself as he followed after her. At least he could enjoy the sights before returning to the campsite.

 

* * *

 

 “So how do you know that Link guy anyway?” Onox casually asked as he released his spiked flail into a nearby tree. It reached the ground with a mighty crash, given no reprieve before he set to work chopping it up for firewood.

Skull Kid sat on the freshly cut stump “Well… you know the Moonfall a few years back…”

 “And how you were possessed by Majora’s Mask, controlled by the spirit of the Man Eater and nearly obliterated Termina?”

 “Yeah, that… well, Link was the one to stop Majora’s Mask.”

 “Wait, but only the Oni could do that… right? Like isn’t that how it works, the Man Eater and the Oni are like one and the same so only they can cancel each other out?”

Skull Kid nodded solemnly “I still don’t get it myself, but Link could wear masks and turn into things, he could shape shift even though he wasn’t a Gomess.”

 “That’s a bit creepy,” Onox gathered up the freshly chopped wood “And confusing.”

 “He’s not even from Termina, he’s from Hyrule.”

 “The paradise of the Golden Goddesses.”

 “Yeah, logically he shouldn’t even be able to reach Termina.”

 “And yet, didn’t you and Veran take a day trip to Hyrule a few weeks back?” Skull Kid was surprised by Onox’s awareness of the situation. He always thought Veran’s apprentices were ignorant of the true nature of their mistress. Onox glanced back at him “Look, if you trust him that’s fine, but I need to know if he’s on our side and he’s not going to betray us like a filthy Ikanan.”

 “No, Link is my friend. You can trust him.”

 “Good, because if I couldn’t,” Onox let out the bestial growl of a dragon, his eyes glimmers with an inner fire for a second.

The campsite was ready by then, the perimeter marked by a series of paper charms nailed to nearby trees. The caravan brakes were clamped in place to avoid it rolling off while the horses rested beneath a nearby tree. A small circle made of stones was at the centre to mark the boundary of the campfire. Onox placed a few logs on the ground to be makeshift seats while the dryer cutes were to be used for kindling. He noticed Veran stomping back towards the caravan cursing under her breath. Completely ignoring him, she stormed into her workshop and slammed the door shut.

Tael floated by Onox’s face “What’s with her?”

He shrugged “Something about magma crystals being found everywhere.”

 “Oh good, that means they must’ve found some already.”

 “I think she wanted a little more adventure.”

The shadow of a dragon flashed across the ground to vanish behind a collection of boulders. Moments later, Sable emerged from behind them, her clothes were soaked and she held a small canvas bag in her hand. By then the others had settled in the camp site and were working on getting the fire started without using any magic.

Onox whistled to her, greeting her with “Taking the form of a dragon in Goron territory?”

Tael shivered “That’s so risky! Why would you do that?”

 “I don’t have time to waste,” Sable shoved the bag into Skull Kid’s hands “Here’s the venom and the scale. Now we can get this over with and he can be gone.”

 “Where you going?”

 “To find Iris, she’s still in the city, yeah?” Sable saw them all nod to her, she took her leave casually waving to them as she walked off.

Silence hung in the air before Skull Kid remarked “That was weird…”

Tael’s wings drooped “I know, I thought she didn’t want anything to do with Link.”


	13. Questioning perceptions

Dusk had fallen by the time Tatl decided to lead Link back to the campsite. The sky was streaked with vivid strokes of orange and violet as the sun finally settled to the west. Amidst the trees were the small caravan, a collection of pots and pans along with a bundle of coiled sleeping bags. In the few hours Link had spent in the Goron City, Onox had done a good job with creating a solace in the wilderness. He passed the perimeter of unusually painted charms, all were black paper written with bright azure or crimson ink. Link had never seen such symbols before in all his travels nor had he ever seen magic wards written on charcoal stained paper.

Tatl flew ahead to be alongside her brother, the two fairies were perched comfortably on the upper railing of the caravan. Skull Kid was beside Onox, peering into the large pot cooking over the campfire. Occasionally he scampered off to return with a handful of leaves that he tossed into the brewing pot. Onox bore an expression of bewilderment as Skull Kid took control of the evening meal. It was like observing a giddy alchemist toying with a new ingredient before their apprentice.

 “Just a bit more of this!” Skull Kid already tossed in the handful of seeds he had gathered.

Onox protested “I don’t even know what most of this stuff is!?”

 “Trust me, it’ll make everything more delicious!”

Onox nodded to Link “If you get sick from this,” He gestured to Skull Kid with the spoon “It’s his fault.”

Link laughed under his breath, taking a seat by the fire “You make it sound like you don’t get sick at all.”

 “He doesn’t, even now, he drank enough to kill a Goron and look at him!” Tatl bumped into Onox’s head, he lazily swatted at her.

 “You do seem to have recovered from your hangover pretty quickly.” Link cocked an eyebrow, resting his chin in his hand.

 “I’m just a resilient person, that’s all.” Onox coldly ended the trail of thought with a threatening gaze.

Tael noticed Link recoil a little from the glare. He perched on his shoulder and said “Don’t worry, Ox is a scary looking guy, but he’s not a bad guy.”

 “No, it’s just…” Link paused, seeing how Onox, Skull Kid and Tatl had stopped what they were doing and were looking to him. He sighed nervously “When you stared like that, it’s kind of like when the Gerudo king, Ganondorf, glared at me… every time I saw him, there was always that glare.”

Onox was flummoxed “Ganondorf? You mean like Koume and Kotake’s grandson? That guy’s just a poison making warlock, there’s nothing scary about him.”

Skull Kid suggested “I think maybe he means the Ganondorf in Hyrule.”

Link panicked “I don’t understand? How could there be two Ganondorfs!? If there is one in Termina, I have to defeat him!”

 “Calm down Link,” Tatl bounced off his head “Termina is different, to say the least.”

 “Theoretically speaking, Termina is a playground for wild deities and souls.” Onox scratched at his head, trying to recall the details “Something about how souls come here to manifest in reality before being born elsewhere. At times fragments can linger while their counterparts are still alive in the ‘real’ world, whatever that is.” He shrugged “I don’t quite get it, I’m sure Iris and Sable can explain it better. All I know is that it sounds ridiculous… but kind of plausible.”

Link remained silent, he blinked and asked “How would something like that even be plausible?”

 “Well… I used to have lucid nightmares when I was younger, that I was some kind of monster that stole the seasons. Veran told me it was probably the memories of who I was when I was alive or who I will become once I’m born.” Onox shook his head, dismissing the idea “I still think it’s a load of crap. To think there’s another me out there.”

Tatl jested “Yeah, one of you is enough.”

 “But why were you so scared of the other Ganondorf?” Skull Kid sat cross legged by Link, chin resting in his hands as he awaited to be regaled with a story.

 “Well… the Ganondorf I know is a dark magic wielding bandit king, often killing the innocent in pursuit of sating his greed, not to mention he works with both Gerudos and monsters. He also wants to conquer Hyrule.” Link frowned at the thought “To make it worse, he is connected to the Triforce of Power and if given the opportunity he will succeed in every desire he has… I’ve lived through it, in an alternate timeline…”

 “An alternative timeline? Then why are you here?”

 “I was returned to this era after I defeated him by reawakening the powers of the new sages… seeing as he killed the previous ones when he invaded the Sacred Realm and claimed the Triforce. The Princess Zelda of the possible future, returned me to stop it from ever happening.”

 “I take it you succeeded in doing so?”

 “Yes, Ganondorf is now held captive in the Arbiter’s Grounds in the Gerudo Desert. Hyrule was in a time of peace, until Bellum appeared.”

Onox interjected “Wait, so basically someone tried to change your world and you didn’t like it?”

Link responded defensively “Ganondorf is a heartless and merciless warlord, he was not fit to be king in any way.”

 “And he technically got the job done? What makes the current King of Hyrule or this Princess Zelda fit to rule?”

 “Because they’re the royal family. The Goddesses have blessed them with divine powers.”

 “And that automatically makes them the best people for the job?” Onox snorted “No offence but I’d rather side with Ganondorf, sounds like he built his empire alone. It wasn’t just handed to him because he was born in the right place.”

 “He kind of was,” Link remarked, folding his arms over his chest “A male Gerudo is born every hundred years and he has the right to be their king.”

 “But he still had to plan and build resources to invade? You did say the Gerudos live in the desert so it would require some skill to put all that together.”

 “Are Gerudos really that different?” Tael flew between them before they could continue arguing “Are they really so bad?”

 “Well, I don’t know,” Link and Onox glared at each other, he then turned to Tael “But all Gerudos have dark skin, round ears, amber eyes and red hair… even when they mate with men who aren’t from their tribe. It’s really odd how they all look so similar. They stand out everywhere they go too.”

 “Maybe we should stop talking about all this. It’s making everyone sound like a jerk.” Skull Kid headed over to the bubbling pot to deem their meal cooked. He grabbed the nearby bowls and started to dish out the fragrant stew.

Onox then found himself pontificating on everything that had been said. From the sound of the situation, perhaps Ganondorf should be the one to fight Bellum. Eyeing Link from the corner of his eye, the Hylian was quite scrawny compared to himself. There may have been a sense of maturity in those blue eyes, but there was something unsettling about Link. Much to his frustration, Onox could not quite determine what he regarded as peculiar about him. Perhaps it was how he always seemed to be relying on others for direction and help. Even during the explanation of Ganondorf, Link seemed to become ridiculously elated at the very mention of this Princess Zelda who seemed to have control over his place in history. Onox decided in that moment that he did not want to understand such a thing.

 

* * *

 

 

Laughter echoed from the small cave that Gorko called his home. It was nice enough home with plenty of rocks and places to put his archives of scrolls and tomes. Fur rugs were draped over the floor and a collection of flaming torches studded the walls. The flames illuminating the chamber and the beautiful murals painted across the walls. Opposite him was Iris, perched on a pile of tomes that dwarfed her small frame. Beside her, on a smooth boulder carved to loosely resemble a chair was Sable. Both drank from the goblets he had acquired from travellers, far too small for a Goron but quite nice to place on a shelf. He only used them when smaller races came to visit him.

At that moment he was carefully looking over a stone Sable had brought to him. It looked like piece of something much larger, possibly part of a statue or maybe a helm. The geometric patterns carved into the surface were like nothing he had seen in his travels to the south, west or central areas of Termina. Gorko ran a careful touch over the stone itself, smooth and shaded more with a greyish blue that looked green under certain light.

Sable remarked, swishing the liquid around the goblet “This wine is really nice.”

 “I wouldn’t know, I don’t have a tongue.” Iris roared with laughter at her own joke.

 “And yet you never shut up.”

 “Not even the Giants could keep me quiet now. I’m out of my shell and ready to enjoy myself.”

 “Sable, this is indeed a curious stone. I take it, it’s from the east? Something to do with Ikana?” Gorko smiled to her, noticing the pendant around her neck appeared to be made of the same substance. Even the pattern looked similar and he guessed by the shape it was a replica of the horns on that masked face.

 “The Gomess tribe actually, it’s called a Fused Shadow and seems to be quite a common material in a lot of Gomess relics. But I have no idea what it actually is.” Sable gestured to him with a warm smile “Which is why I brought it to you? My renowned expert in all things weird and wonderful.”

He laughed heartily “I’m not sure if I’m an expert though, but let’s see what we have here.” Sable and Iris paid close attention as Gorko held the piece of Fused Shadow before them. “This stone is lighter than wood yet it feels as resilient as steel. What’s more curious is that it feels… alive.”

Iris shrugged “How can you tell that? All I see is a weird rock.”

 “This is not the only shape this stone can take, it was moulded into something else beforehand.” Gorko then raised it in line with a flickering torch “As the name suggested, I think it may be linked to shadows themselves given it doesn’t even cast one. Like the stone absorbs any darkness or light.”

Sable became wide eyed as she saw that the stone casted no shadow across the room despite being in direct line with a source of light. Even before the splendour of the flame it did not glisten or reflect the glow either.

He continued, lowering the Fused Shadow to closely examine it “I hypothesise that this is actually a sample of shadows solidified into an object. Would it be rude to ask what this is part of?”

Sable responded “Some kind of helm… I think or an awkwardly shaped bell.”

 “Have you found other pieces of this? Well, other than this strange relic and obviously your pendant?”

 “Yeah, they’re all over the place in the Stone Tower Temple. But they look like they’re part of weapons and armour.”

 “Interesting, very interesting.” Gorko then mused aloud “I think if you wield shadow magic you might be able to unlock more of this object’s potential. It’s like a symbiotic relation, the shadow can only function when it’s synched with a certain type of mage. In return, the mage can wield its dormant abilities.”

Iris rocked back and forth in her seat “I understood something about magic and more power, what do you think it might do?”

 “I haven’t the slightest, so be careful when playing with them.”

 “Gorko, since when were we not careful?”

He erupted with laughter once again, wiping his eyes as his whole form shook. Sable and Iris clinked their goblets with knowing smirks. With their concerns that these relics they had plundered were just ornate stone dispelled. Perhaps these Fused Shadows were more than fun than they originally assumed.


	14. The Stone Towers

Before him, upon the stretched out length of cloth were a collection of strange items. One of which was the magma crystal they had sourced from the Goron City. Another was a vial with bright purple liquid swirled with the palest blue. It reminded Link of the poisoned waters of the Southern Swamp, during the Moonfall. The scale beside it must have come from a behemoth of a monster. It was the size of his hand, rough like stone on the outer rim. The underside was golden, gleaming beneath the sunlight as he admired its hidden beauty. The package had been given to him by Onox the following night but he did not mention about how these items were collected.

In the early morning, Link found himself restless as he continued to think of Zelda. He prayed to the goddesses that he was not too late to help her. Admiring the objects for the spell had been a nice distraction but he quickly found his mind wandering back to thoughts of the fair princess. Even the raucous snores of Onox and Skull Kid’s constant fidgeting could not sway his attention. He did keep an eye on Skull Kid though, the little imp was sleep tumbling like an acrobat. It was more to make sure he did not topple over the side of the nearby cliff. He guessed that Veran was still in the caravan and that Iris was in the company of that Goron scholar, Gorko. Although, he had no idea of where Sable had vanished to. In all honesty, the less he saw of her, the better. There was something inhumanly primal about her. He regarded her with the same caution one would use in the company of a wild animal.

He leant forward to hug his knees, feeling the morning chill in his bones. Now that he considered it, this entire situation was unsettling. Onox was definitely hiding something beneath his thug façade. Iris was without a doubt completely insane and a wielder of elemental forces. Veran, well, where to start with her? She seemed helpful and resourceful, at the same time, there was something malevolent about her like she was merely orchestrating events to fit her desires. Link would never tell Skull Kid any of this, he would just grin and bear it until he could safely return to Hyrule. Then maybe he would never have to see any of them again.

The door of the caravan clicked and opened, Veran stepped out into the light of day. She arched her back and stretched. The bangles hanging from her skirt jingled from motion. Noticing the collection of objects before him, she smiled and gestured him to approach her. She did not want to speak loudly and waken the rest of the camp site from conversing with him from afar.  When he stood before her, Veran tightly gripped Link’s wrist, that same curious smile crossed her face. A dark aura emanated from her eyes as shadows consumed her form, transforming her into a silhouette.

Shockingly Link found himself undergoing the same ailment as darkness swallowed him whole. He could do nothing as he watched pieces of himself fragment into geometric shards. All of which floated upwards as they silhouettes deconstructed and vanished from the area. Onox and Skull Kid barely stirred, the transformation had been quiet and instantaneous.

 

* * *

 

 

The Stone Tower temple still felt just as ominous as when it was under Majora’s curse. Now however it seemed more logical in its layout. The defeat of Twinmold had possibly allowed the chambers to reconfigure themselves into their original form. More remnants of the Gomess tribe was scattered around the chamber that Link could only assume was some kind of mess hall. Strange stone tools littered the area that were made from a dull stone that glowed an eerie blue or green. The surface was carved with intricate geometric patterns. He could not fully ascertain what these strange tools were used for, their erratic and foreign shapes made it difficult to decipher their true purpose.

Gaping holes in the roof allowed natural light to filter through into the hallowed chambers. Shadows and light played across the walls and floor which made the extensive murals flicker with life. Link carefully gazed upon them and their depictions of unearthly monsters wandering in a realm of perpetual twilight. There were figures that stood out amidst the repeated patterns. He immediately recognised Majora in its wrathful form battling the Fierce Deity wielding its helix blade. Watching over them were three female figures bearing triangles, the Golden Goddesses. Their arena was supported by four monstrous creatures, their physical bodies looked humanoid while their shadows revealed all manner of masked abominations.

He asked aloud “Wait, so Odolwa, Goht, Gyorg and Twinmold were actually the Giants?”

 “They are the shadows or the wrath of the Giants.” Veran tilted her head, still observing him curiously “Do you really think the primal deities would not have an irate side?”

 “Not the Giants, they seemed so peaceful.”

 “Every deity has a good and evil side, it just depends on how you chose to interpret the meanings of those useless labels.” She took a seat by a large stone table, procuring the items and preparing them in an unusual manner. Every so often a puff of dark magic would rise as she combined them all into a foul looking concoction.

Unsure of whether or not to wander deeper into the temple, Link reluctantly took a seat opposite her. She then offered the vial of the unusual potion to him. He gazed at the jar warily, seeing the swirls of venom with shards of gemstone and flecks of scale bobbing in it.

 “If you want the curse to be removed, you have to drink it.”

Link rolled his eyes “I’m really starting to think there is no curse on me.”

 “Then let’s see. Slay this shadow beast.” Veran snapped her fingers, the sound resonating as a dark vortex marked with azure patterns appeared overhead.

A willowy silhouette of a monster emerged, a large stone mask made of the stone gleaming azure obscured its face. A mane of hair took the form of shadowy tendrils as it hunched forward on its knuckles to advance towards Link. Veran remained seated, curious to see the show unfold before her. Link rose to the advance, arming his sword and shield as he lunged forward. The creature was sliced in half with a single swing of his blade, vanishing back into the ether.

Veran tittered “I wouldn’t have done that if I were you.”

Link felt something peculiar about his chest, a warm liquid dripped down from his mouth. He touched the trail of fluid, pulling back his hand to see it stained with his blood. Already crimson was seeping through his tunic as his body gave way beneath him. He crashed to the ground in agony, unable to rise.

 “Drink up, boy.” Veran commanded as she appeared over him, she forced the vial to his lips. Her free hand moved in bizarre gestures that cloaked his vision with obscurity.

 

* * *

 

 

His sight was greeted by the amber glow of perpetual twilight. The air was heavy with magic with flecks of darkness suspended in the ether. They casually danced overhead amidst the unchanging sky wreathed in swirling clouds. From lying on the ground he saw the endless desolate earth stretching far beyond the horizon. The pure smoothness ruptured by rising monoliths of polished black stone. Most glowed with red and blue patterns of light. Link finally dared to stand only to find his body awkward and unfamiliar. Looking at his hand, he was greeted with sight of a golden lupine paw.

 “How unusual… you really must be a chosen hero after all. You’ve taken on the form of a sacred beast. I guess being a dog suits you too.” Veran remarked while looking upon the golden celestial wolf that Link had become.

Clumsily, he stood on his four new feet and wagging his tail just to prove it was really there. Gazing upwards he saw a creature floating over him, casually observing him. He could have sworn he heard Veran’s voice speak but could not recognise the humanoid curiosity now in his company.

A drawn out human figure adorned by six filamentous wings and four long arms. Her skin was varying shades of blue while her hair was the colour of fire. Shadows were stretched over her body to form robes that both hugged and flowed from her form. Her orange hair now shimmered with amber streaks. Veran brushed a lock aside as she said “Don’t be so confused, I am Veran, the Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm. I merely partake in a cycle of reincarnation in the mortal coil so I can witness this thing called… mortality.”

She noticed how Link was still bewildered, turning around in circles to better observe the scenery. He then oddly began to chase his tail prompting Veran to snap her fingers and get his attention. She politely suggested “Fight your bestial instincts, this is no time or place to be fooling around.”

Link then felt his whole being restrained as shackles of the mysterious stone weighed his paws down. Before he could fight it, Veran was before him, a long willowy arm reaching out to touch his forehead. It passed right through him, retrieving something from within painlessly. He was amazed when she pulled her arm back, tightly clasping a writhing darkness she had removed. Uncurling her hand revealed a strange growth with amber veins.

 “Strange how something so little cause so much trouble.” She sneered as she crushed it in her hand “But now Bellum is no longer hindering you. I may not be familiar with Hyrule, but you’ll need the power of the deities themselves if you wish to banish Bellum. I hope you know of some kind of tool that can aid us with that.”

He tilted his head and whimpered like a puppy. Veran raised an eyebrow “That’s right, we’re all coming along too. Don’t look at me like that, you worthless mutt. I doubt your precious Hyrule would even know where to start with taking down a creature like that. At least with us by your side, equipped with the gifts of Twilight Realm, salvation may be possible.”

She snapped her fingers, shattering the brittle realm around him to reveal the chamber of the temple once again. Fragments of the Twilight Realm fell away as easily as ripping a curtain open to reveal the light of day.

Instinctively he looked to his hands to see he was back in his human body. “If we can get the Master Sword from the Temple of Time, we’ll have a chance. Then we can return to the ruins and get rid of Bellum.”

 “I doubt Bellum is still in those ruins, it’s probably orchestrated an elaborate plot to trigger the doom of Hyrule.” Veran laughed, she too had reverted to her usual body “Thinking that you’re taken care of, there’s all the time in the world.”

 “So Bellum is arrogant? Good, maybe we can use that to our advantage.”

 “Now hold up, we can’t formulate a true plan until we’ve revised the situation carefully. I think our first step is to return to Hyrule, meaning we need Skull Kid.”

 “Wait, don’t I get a say in this?”

 “No because you’re lapdog of the golden goddesses with no thoughts of your own.”

 “You know what, I am getting sick of everyone undermining me like that!”

 “Because we’re being honest about what we think of you?”

 “NO! You’re all being awful to me for no reason. What have I ever done to any of you!?”

 “Well, why not work towards proving us wrong instead of complaining?”

 “You know what, I never even wanted your help. But what could I do? Everyone kept telling me to find yo-”

A thunderous crash from the next room interrupted their discussion. Veran raised a hand to silence him as she levitated quickly over the floor. She moved with inhuman speed as she manoeuvred down the corridors. Link had to sprint just to keep an eye on her.

 

* * *

 

 

Sable threw off the strange helm in a hurry before the magic consumed her. It stared back at her from the ground with a cold dead eye that looked like the ones of Majora’s Mask. For the moment she placed it over her head, she found it deceptively light and easily covered her chest, upper back and shoulders. In that moment she could hear the cries of the Man-Eater as it screamed into oblivion, consumed with madness and rage. That sound resonated in her soul and awoke a forgotten form of her body, an evolutionary throw back to an era before modern species. With her last shred of sanity she cast it aside, panting and leaning against a wall as she regained her grasp on reality.

The chamber was rather secluded and riddled with all manner of scriptures. Over the past few years it had been turned from an abandoned quarters to a somewhat hospitable study. Judging from the remains of what was in there, these chambers belonged to Arch Mage Midna, Sable’s distant ancestor. At that moment, Sable regained her composure turning to look at Iris who was kneeling in a nearby magic circle. It was for the Deku’s safety to ensure nothing would curse or hurt her should things go astray.

 “Wow… that was weird.” Iris calmly remarked “Your whole body was enveloped in light and darkness, like a twilight sky. It also looked like you were growing extra limbs and… actually I’ve got no idea.” She stepped out of the magic circle to approach her friend “Are you alright?”

Sable examined her body for any injuries “Yes, I think so. Although this only raises more potential tests to perform.”

 “What is the meaning of this!?” Veran demanded as she appeared at the doorway “How did you get here!?”

 “Shadow warp, I know how to do those now.” Sable nervously complimented “You’ve taught me too well, master.”

 “We will discuss these matters later,” Veran’s eyes noticed the completed helm of Fused Shadow on the ground, she warned “The only one with the power to don that particular mask was Midna herself. Anyone else was either consumed by it or driven insane.”

 “A mask?” Sable picked up the strange helm, placing it back on the table “What manner of mask is this? I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

 “They’re Fused Shadow masks, only two were ever crafted to be worn by the Arch Mages of the Gomess clan. The one Midna wore embodies the essence of the Man-Eater. Zant on the other hand, had a mask that symbolised the power of the Oni. Sadly, it appears that Zant’s mask was lost along with his corpse when Majora unleashed her curse.”

 “That is tragic, think of the things we could’ve learnt from examining his mask too.”

Sensing Link would be approaching soon, Veran waved a hand over Midna’s mask. The Fused Shadow vanished into the ether much to Sable’s protest. Veran raised a finger to inform “I am just keeping safe for you. We can’t afford a repeat of the Moonfall at this point in time. I will summon it forth if you are ever ready to wield it.”

They all paused when Link finally caught up to Veran, he stood in the doorway looking perplexed. Before he could speak, he was silenced by Veran as she wove a false tale “It is nothing to worry about, they’re here to make sure everything went according to plan. I’ll admit, the ritual of transition could have gone horribly astray had you not actually been a chosen of the Golden Goddesses.” She walked to the centre of the room, a dark web of magic weaving through the floor from where she stood “Come, let’s return to the campsite and then to Hyrule.”

Sable and Iris smiled back innocently, even though they felt chastised for their master’s intervention. Perhaps there was logic to her intrusion, it would at least stop the mask from falling into the hands of the idiotic. As they followed behind Link and Veran through the temple, they remained silent as the two ahead of them plotted their course upon the return to Hyrule. Sable knew that there was no reason in sharing everything with the foreign swordsman. They had to keep his knowledge of their abilities hidden and obscured, for now. 


	15. Return to Hyrule

Skull Kid loathed every bit of this, yet here he was before the mysterious door beneath the Clock Tower with the others looking on expectantly. The slab of stone amidst the festering ruins deep bellow the tower that no one really seemed to be capable of explaining. The smooth surface of the grey rock was branded with the outline of a gear. It had been cleaved in half to create a fault line vertically down its centre. The door was moulded into the rubble and had no sign of hinges or mechanisms that could slide it open.

Almost like a final check, he looked over his shoulder to see Link patiently waiting for him with a gentle expression. Veran was growing impatient, hands resting on her hips as she tapped her foot. Iris looked more curious while she perched on Onox’s shoulders. Onox appeared bewildered while his eyes flickered between Skull Kid and the door. Sable caught his attention the most, her face was stoic yet there was a fear in her eyes that he had never seen before. The very presence of such dread made Skull Kid second guess this decision.

However, Link needed to return to Hyrule, his friend needed his help. Just as Link had helped him all those years ago, now it was time to return the favour. He felt Tatl and Tael land on the broad rim of his ragged hat, a small gesture of comfort that was needed right now. Skull Kid stood before the door as he had before. He never really considered the ability to open it as overly amazing. It was just something he always could do.

As he had done countless times before, he took a step forward. Instantly the door reacted as slowly slid open. Its movements hindered by the moss infected rubble obscuring the entrance. What lied beyond that door were more ancient ruins that led deep into a twisted forest. Flickers of shadows contorted into the faces of all manner of monster. Skull Kid turned on his heels to see that everyone other than Veran was amazed. He nodded to them with a playful smile and cartwheeled down the corridor.

The journey that followed was engulfed in a haze of the mind. Forests swirled around their senses, some primordial while others were modern. Like navigating the passage of time, nothing remained the same as they ventured through the eerily silent woods. Darkness swirled and faded while faces of those they had met before clouded their vision. Their ghosts of their memories were running amidst the trees, playfully ducking in and out like children playing hide and seek. Each traveller viewed a different collection of people.

Like a flickering flame, the Gerudo danced through the forest leaping out before Onox to only vanish again. She was so caught in her enchanting performance that she ignored his very presence. He found himself amazed at how beautiful she was it was unnatural like she was an embodiment of the sun and all the marvels of nature. He then averted his eyes and kept walking, the dancer had haunted the nightmares of his youth. There no chance that he was going to stop and actually try talking to her.

Veran was haunted by another ethereal beauty, this one played the harp and sang in perfect harmony. Her shimmering blue hair wavered unnaturally as her song distorted and shifted the very flow of time. Feeling disgusted by the sight of her, Veran put her nose in the air and strode past unimpressed. She kept up with Onox who appeared equally keen to traverse this strange path through the forest. Another doorway among the ancient trees soon came into view as the darkness began to part.

Skull Kid let out a sigh, he was immune to such spectral splendour as he had no memories of his own. He nearly bumped into Sable as she hesitated to proceed. Following her gaze, he saw a strange figure in the distance. The person was tall and slender with layers of shadowy robes obscuring its true identity. Crimson runes mimicked patterns seen in Gomess spell tomes were sewn decoratively on the fabric. These robes, while possessing sleeves so long they obscured its hands, were tailored for combat. A terrifying helm marked by a grotesque curled tongue perched over the figure’s shoulders. It appears to be crafted of an unknown stone that gleamed blue in certain lights. The person cackled with an insane, high pitched squeal. Its body contorting and twisting over itself as it stretched its arms.

Skull Kid instinctively grabbed onto Sable as it vanished abruptly. They both let out a yelp when it manifested a breath away from them. The helmed monster leaned closer to examine them both. The metallic tongue rattled and folded back into the helm to reveal a pale jawline. A jagged smile revealed yellowed teeth, a sleeve cuff that dangled with long tassels was raised to point at them. He stated “A lost deity and you… I faintly sense Midna’s blood in you.”

In that instant the strange figure vanished in a whirling cloud of jagged darkness. They were both broken from the paralysing fear at the call of their companions up ahead.

 “Friend of yours?” Skull Kid shyly looked to Sable.

She shook her head “I’ve no idea, I’ve never seen that thing before… but you saw it too!?”

 “Yeah, clear as day… creepy, huh?”

 “Let’s go before he comes back.”

Little did they realise that the figure had now found a way to escape his cursed existence, even for a brief reprieve. He decided to remain in the shadows, until it was time unveil himself.

 

* * *

 

The sacred forest meadow was eerily serene given the horror Saria had briefly encountered. Her observations of the plants slowly dying appeared to be her imagination. Everything was as it should be within the meadow. After being attacked, she immediately raced to the village and amassed a group to defend the temple and help Link. When they arrived there was no trace of Link, Navi or the monster that had attacked him. Not to mention she still was not sure what to think of the strange people who followed after Link. She nervously looked to the ground, relieved to see the plants growing again. Yet this foreboding feeling did not leave her. How could she have imagined such a lucid nightmare?

She almost felt her heart stop at the sound of footsteps coming from within the temple ahead of her. Her feet froze to the ground, torn between her instinct to flee and her curiosity to discover the answer to this mystery.

 “Really? You think they’d clean up the place once in a while. I mean, it’s a fine place if you’re a Deku like me but what about other races?”

Saria froze as a strange Deku sorceress came into view, she was riding the shoulders of a towering juggernaut. Beside them was a sickly coloured jester woman and two fairies, one of darkness and one of light. Also in their company was the Skull Kid and the strange blue skinned woman from before. Saria cried with excitement at the final figure to emerge “LINK! You’re alright!?”

Link was nearly bowled over as Saria hugged him with all her might. He curiously looked down to her and jested “What’s this for? Of course I’d be alright, you know me.”

 “Too stubborn to die.” Saria smiled back, yet it quickly faded “Does that mean you’ve slain the demon within the temple?”

Veran reminded Link “Actually it is a little peculiar that there was no sign of Bellum in there.”

 “Am I still the only one who doesn’t understand how we went from being in a forest to being a random mansion?” Onox mused aloud, Sable, Iris and Skull Kid nodded back to him.

Skull Kid shyly informed “I just open the door, I don’t have any control as to where in Hyrule you come out in. All I know is that it’s always in a forest.”

 “But if Bellum is gone… then…” Link paled at the thought “Oh no, I have to get back to the castle. Wait, Saria, have you seen Navi anywhere?”

The Kokiri shook her head “Sorry, no trace whatsoever.”

 “I’ll accompany you to the castle.” Veran informed before vanishing into Link’s shadow. Even though it had been painless, Link still felt a bit defiled by her doing that so easily. Her voice commanded from an unknown location making Sable, Iris and Onox jump a little, “You three, scour the temple for any clues!”

Skull Kid shyly queried “Can I come too? I’ve always wanted to see a castle.”

Sable interjected “But we might need help navigating the forest.”

 “That’s alright, I can assist you.” Saria bragged “I know this place like the back of my hand.”

Link took control of the situation “Alright, we’ll split up for now. How about we all meet at central plaza of Castle Town?”

After negotiating an appropriate time for their rendezvous, Link, Skull Kid, Tatl and Tael with Veran hiding in the shadows made their way through the forests. In the meantime, Sable, Iris, Onox and Saria returned to the Forest Temple.

 

* * *

 

 

Further exploration of the abandoned manor proved to be unhelpful to their cause. It looked like an old mansion that had succumbed to the ravages of time and nature. The plants and wildlife effortlessly overwhelmed the previously noble halls fit for aristocracy. Now the structure was left to rot for all eternity until it once again became assimilated with the Lost Woods. Sable could not pinpoint what era this manor was originally built in. While it seemed to speak to an era of opulence, it boasted some interesting technology such as a working elevator in the main hall. This level of mechanical competence would have been quite normal for Termina. Yet in Hyrule, Sable was still unsure of what was deemed out of place or unusual. It then dawned on her that she had no idea what kind of form a clue would take in this situation.

She strode through the hallways a little behind the others. Saria and Iris were charging ahead like children like a treasure hunt, almost giddy from the possibility of discovering something. Onox lumbered behind them like the disgruntled, sleep deprived parent. Sable absentmindedly gazed at the ruined canvases of old paintings. The pictures were dangling tatters in their frames. Her mind wandered back to the strange she had seen on their journey to Hyrule. She deduced that he was wearing a Fused Shadow helm yet there was nothing about him to say he was a recognisable race of Termina.

Considering all she knew of the Gomess tribe thus far, Sable carefully went through what she knew and what she did not know. For a fact, she knew there were two Arch Mages to lead them, Midna and Zant, each embodying one of the two schools of Gomess magic. Another fact was that these individuals possessed elaborate helms of Fused Shadows to enhance their abilities. The clan was also divided by their loyalty to either Midna or Zant with Midna’s followers surviving the chaos of the Ikanan wars. However the true fate of both Zant and his followers were never clarified.

Her eyes widened as the realisation struck like a lightning bolt “That was Zant…”

 “Who’s Zant?” Onox said as she finally realised he had been nearby the whole time.

 “I… I’m not sure if it was him…”

 “I know that face, you get it when you’re doing your scholarly thinky things.”

 “Skull Kid and I… we saw someone in the forest, when we were walking to Hyrule.”

 “Both of you?” Sable nodded back, he cupped his jawline “That’s weird, then again I don’t even understand how we got here to begin with. How is there a forest inside the Clock Tower?”

They were interrupted by the hallway erratically shaking. This was accompanied by the sound of screams as Saria and Iris ran back towards them. Looming behind them was a faceless monstrosity, a mass of shifting exoskeleton and tentacles decorated at random with golden eyes. Everywhere it moved, a trail of darkness was left that leeched into the surroundings like a network of capillaries. In an instant the halls took on an otherworldly feel as they began to putrefy and writhe with nightmarish horrors.

Not willing to take a closer look or stand back to watch the transformation, they all sprinted from the temple as fast as they could. Although, the monster did not leave the temple as they entered the relative safety of the meadow. Instead if howled and cried while its prey escaped its clutches.

Iris tilted her head “Maybe that thing isn’t Bellum after all. Seems kinda mindless…”

Sable agreed, her eyes not leaving the entrance to the temple “I get that feeling too, but where would Bellum go in Hyrule?”

 “Regardless, this needs to be fixed immediately. I’ll speak with the Great Deku sapling, it should be strong enough to bind this monster to the temple so it can’t get out.” Saria quickly waved to them as she disappeared into the forest.

 “That should buy us some time… still, does anyone else get the feeling that we’re kind of out of our league here?” Onox looked to the others for confirmation.

 “That monster could poison you before you even reached it. What’s worse, is that it has some level of necromancy so it brings the corpse back to life.” Iris shivered from the thought “You two are lucky you didn’t see that courtyard. Nothing but nightmare fuel.”

 “So our only other allies from Hyrule is Link? To be honest, I don’t like our chances.”

Sable gestured him to continue “I take it you have an idea?”

 “We need to find a big prison in the desert here, it’s called the Arbiter’s Grounds and I suspect there’s someone in there with the resources to help us.”

 “So we’re going to do a jail break? Isn’t that wrong?” Sable smirked as she sniggered “Forget it, let’s break them out!”


	16. Deja vu

A quick tune of the ocarina had summoned Epona from the fields beyond Kokiri Forest. Time nor location mattered, the second that horse heard her song on the wind she would race off to find her master. Link was relieved to see Epona unharmed and had mounted her to speedily gallop towards Hyrule Castle. Skull Kid was behind him, arms wrapped around his waist as he wildly jostled with Epona’s stride. Tatl and Tael were cowering beneath his hat. It appeared he was still an unskilful rider in every way. For his friend’s sake, Link kept to the flatter terrain, sensing that going over too many jumps would send Skull Kid flying off. Veran had seemed to disappear into the shadows although she claimed she would never be far from him.

The rolling fields passed as a blur to him. The hot midday sun shone down upon them to be countered by the chilling breeze rolling from west. Death Mountain remained in the distance, a silent observer to everything that occurred in Hyrule. Skull Kid remained quiet while observing the changed scenery and the strange natural formations in the distance. Usually he dared not leave the forest, he was too scared to. The fields felt eerily familiar to him, a nervous glance to the sky felt natural as he expected something horrible to descend at any moment. Soon enough, the cliff like walls of Lon Lon Ranch came into view soon enough. Link smiled, they were almost there.

White stone walls shielded the city from the wilderness of the fields. Link rode confidently through the main streets, slowly Epona’s pace to avoid mistakenly treading on anyone. Much to his surprise, nothing sinister had occurred since he was banished to Termina. The citizens of the town still carried on with their markets, busking and buying like normal.

Skull Kid had never felt so out of place in his life. He could feel the confused stares of bystanders and the muttering behind his back. The fear that had taken root in his mind back in the field only seemed to flower. It reached its pinnacle as he noticed a temple in the distance. He felt like he had been there before or at least to what it was before the Hylians carved it into this building. A familiar tinkle resonated in his ear, reminding him that he was not alone now. He knew Tatl and Tael would always be with him. The comfort was extremely short lived at the sight of those monstrous stone walls surrounding a pointy building in the distance.

“Hey Link,” Skull Kid nervously tapped him on the shoulder “Can I get off here? I don’t wanna go up there, gives me the creeps.”

Link attempted to console him “I’ll admit the castle is unlike anything you’d see in a forest or Termina, but it’s not scary. Come on, Princess Zelda is really nice.”

“No, I’m sorry, I have to get off now.” Skull Kid jumped from Epona’s back, he called to Link “I’ll just hang around the markets, ok?”

Epona came to a temporary halt, Link gazed back “Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

Skull Kid nodded back “Positive.”

“Yeah, we’re with him too.” Tatl reminded as she flew out from under his hat.

Tael assured “We’ll be safe so long as we’re together Link, don’t worry about us one bit.”

Link felt a little more relieved at the idea “Well, if you’re sure then. Alright, I’ll meet you at the fountain in the main square in about an hour or so.”

“Take your time, the princess is your friend so you probably want to hang out.”

Link nodded back to them as he made Epona trot off towards the castle. Skull Kid, Tatl and Tael turned to marvel at the busy marketplace. They had always considered Clock Town to be a bustling metropolis. It paled compared to Castle Town as people from all over Hyrule passed through. Not even the crowds from the Carnival of Time were every this busy.

Tael bumped into Skull Kid’s head “Don’t look so scared, I think they can smell fear.”

“Yeah, what’s wrong? This place looks fun. Hey! There’s a shooting gallery over there, you’d totally blitz it!” Tatl glimmered as she gestured to a particular shop front.

Skull Kid only paused as he noticed the crowd part around him. The children were not as discrete with their curiosity. He could see them pointing at him and talking expressively only to make silly faces. One even covered his face with sticks and mud as a mockery of how he looked. Yet none of the nearby parents or adults were telling them off. They appeared intrigued by Skull Kid as well, but they were more focused on shifty gazes and whispers in each other’s ears.

To avoid looking at them, he tugged the rim of old, ragged hat down to hide his face. Then again, did he even have a face? He had eyes and a beak, but nothing really distinguishable that resembled how he felt about himself. The only times he felt comfortable was when he wore a mask, it felt like he could stand out as an individual and not just hide in the shadows. It felt like he was actually someone instead of an empty shell.

Tatl and Tael nodded to each other, picking up on his change of mood. They circled around his head, peeping in under his hat. Tael encouraged gently “Come on, let’s go explore.”

Tatl added “And if anyone tries anything, I’ll smack them like crazy!”

He giggled to himself as Skull Kid meandered off into the maze of market stalls. It was seriously hard to believe Hyrule was in any danger given the bustling streets. There was not even a malicious aura in the air that preceded demonic entities. Then again, perhaps Bellum knew how to hide his, after all, Skull Kid knew Onox had learnt to have total control his of own aura. Would it really be that far of a stretch to believe Bellum could do the same? Given the magnitude of primordial mana and darkness coursing through that deity, it could do far greater damage. Skull Kid shivered a little, wondering if it was even possible to defy such an ancient monster.

 

* * *

 

 

Eventually they had lost track of time, too distracted by the sights of Castle Town that they only realised it was late when the sky was painted with orange and violet hues. The sun was setting in the distance and oddly, they had not heard from Link and so far had not seen any of the others. By then the stalls were packing up slowly as everyone retreated to their homes or the nearest tavern. Tatl and Tael flew ahead of him trailing a haze of sparkling mist. Skull Kid then felt an abnormal jolt through his body. Looking around he saw why, he had inadvertently wandered too close to the ominous white temple. It appeared rather simple with an open doorway and wide windows depicting the Golden Goddesses and their sacred triangles. Why were they obsessed with triangles anyway? The doors appeared to still be open at this late hour and nobody appeared to be around. Skull Kid overcame his instincts to flee in favour of his curiosity as to why he was reacting this way to a building he had never visited.

The alabaster chamber was impeccably tidy, a far cry from the crumbling and moss ridden rocks Skull Kid saw in the Lost Woods. These stones had been shaped and carved into columns, walls and frames. All focused on directing one’s attention to the back of grand hall. An altar decked with black marble held three inserts for some kind of relics. Beyond it was a slight step leading to a door that appeared to have no way of opening it. Overhead, wreathed in stone arches was a shaded stone visage of those triangles again. Oddly, melodic humming could be heard echoing in the hall yet there were no priests or chanters in sight. Light streaked the chequered floor, parted by a white path carved into the ground. Something was amiss in the air, although it was not malevolent in the slightest. It was a feeling of déjà vu and it grew stronger the closer he came to the altar.

Skull Kid lifted himself up so he could stand on the altar and get a better look around the chamber. There appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary, however he felt a familiar resonance in this place. Like perhaps it had hosted the souls of great deities once or perhaps it led deeper beyond the mortal coil, into the Twilight Realm, the sea of chaos where deities and spirits manifest.

_“Blasphemous imp! How dare you come here!?”_ screamed a powerful voice, the ethereal form of a woman draped in flames and crimson light flickered over his eyes.

A feminine creature of a water and shimmering azure waves calmly stated _“Such an anarchic creature has no place in the order of this realm, you will not taint Hyrule as you did in Termina.”_

A third and final maiden was among them, emerald hues adorned her as whispering winds danced around her. Her voice was a threatening whisper _“A primal deity with powers like yours is too dangerous, you ignore the order of reality and the flow of time and space.”_

The fire woman snarled _“Why are you here? Did the Giants grow weary of your pranks?”_

_“It is not surprising, and yet you come here and make your dolls to plague the forests.”_ The water damsel dismissively waved at him _“It’s nothing that cannot be corrected, we will just have to forbid any born from those woods from ever leaving.”_

The wind maiden nodded wisely _“Then I shall craft a race to keep his wicked Stalfos and Skull Kids at bay. The Deku Tree will cleanse the forest while the Kokiri will tend to him.”_

The fire woman grabbed him by the scruff of the neck _“But what to do about you now? We can’t let you just roam around our paradise, our utopia. Hyrule will be a shining beacon of morality, a far cry from the debauchery of Termina.”_

Much to Skull Kid’s horror, he heard his own voice openly mock them with a jesting taunt _“You’re just a bunch of sore losers that the mortals chose to revere the Giants over you, I can’t blame them though. No sane mortal would ever bring themselves for caring about those silly little triangles of what was it? Power? Smartness? Cuccos? Let alone base an entire way of life around them. Besides, when does these people get to have fun if you’re hiding them from all the other primordial deities?”_

_“You know that is why we’ve made Hyrule, to stop our kind from interfering with the purity of morality.”_

_“So how do you explain that Lorule place? Just a counter balance to keep this one in check?”_

_“SILENCE YOU WICKED LITTLE TRICKSTER! Your lies and deceit end here!”_

_“If that was coming from the Man-Eater, the Oni, hey, maybe even that demon king, Demise? Sunrise? I dunno his name, then maybe I’d be scared.”_

The water maiden smirked cruelly _“Oh, by the time we’re done with you. You’d never believe that you were once one of us.”_

The conjured images and voices disappeared like a window shattering. Skull Kid was left stunned on that altar and trembling from the memory. What had happened? He could remember waking up and seeking out the Giants because they were his friends, but then they left so they could protect Termina from evil. Other than that, everything else was a fog that would not part. Terrified by what he had heard, Skull Kid bounded from the altar and sprinted out of the door. He could still feel the wrathful eyes of those women on his back.

When he got outside he crashed into someone going the opposite way to him. Skull Kid quickly dusted himself off and pleaded “I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going and… uh…” He adjusted his hat timidly “Hi Link.”

“I was just looking for you, Tatl and Tael said you disappeared, they’re flying through the streets in a panic now.” Link smiled back to him “But you’re safe, what’s wrong? You look a little shaken.”

“Just tired, it’s been a long day.”

“So I see you had to check out the Temple of Time.” Link looked at the building behind Skull Kid, his voice dropped to a whisper as he said “That’s where the Master Sword is kept. We can go see the inner sanctum later on if you want.”

“Uh… thanks? Heard anything from the others?”

“No, not even Veran has made an appearance.” Link warily gazed to his shadow, he shrugged “Come on, let’s go get Tatl and Tael and then you can all meet the princess.”

“Right, sounds good.” Skull Kid stammered as he followed after him. He dared not look back at the Temple of Time, lest he bring that horrible vision tumbling back into his memory.


	17. Pawns in a greater scheme

Never before had Skull Kid imagined he would walk through an actual castle in its prime. The ruins of these grand structures were always decayed. They rotted with time to become a mere shadow of their truly splendid forms. The alabaster stone floors were slightly obscured by deep blue rugs embellished with golden flourishes. Rather than paint their history and art upon their walls as Terminans, these Hylians appeared to hand paintings, banners and tapestries instead. It felt so ordered by comparison. Skull Kid hoped these portraits were optional illusions, that perhaps the colour would bleed out across the walls any moment now. Instead they lifeless gazed back at him as he shuffled down the corridor.

He was a few paces behind Link, Tatl flew near him constantly badgering him about the fair Princess Zelda. Tael remained by his side and perched on Skull Kid’s shoulder. Silently, he knew the fairy was just as uncomfortable in this place as he was. Guards adorned in finely made armour bore the winged crest of the royal family. They remained still as Skull Kid wandered past them, he wondered if there were people even in those suits of plate and chainmail. The double doors at the end of the corridor were opened by Link as he forged ahead. Then again, this was Link’s world, he was obviously much more comfortable here.

Skull Kid on the other hand could not shake this sick fear that lurked in the pit of his stomach. Something was heavy in the air, like the gaze of a predator upon its prey. He followed cautiously behind his friend to the grand study that awaited them. The chamber was adorned by walls of books and a roaring fireplace opposite the door. Two grand windows embellished with stained glass stood to attention on either side of the mantle, allowing views of the serene garden. Sitting in a gilded armchair was a beautiful Hylian maiden. A blue fairy hovered attentively by her side.

In the corner of the room, not quite hidden but not drawing attention was another woman. She was odd, looking quite young but having silver hair and eyes the colour of blood. Her light weight armour of hardened black leather covered her from head to toe. An odd symbol of a red eye with a single bloodied tear adorned her cuirass. Skull Kid shyly waved to the strange woman, ignoring Link’s greeting to the maiden in the chair. The woman nodded back quietly, then resumed to mimic a shadow. She appeared to be as equally on edge as he felt.

“Skull Kid? Skull Kid?” Link waved his hand in front of his face “This is Princess Zelda.”

The princess smiled gently, tilting her head sweetly “It’s a pleasure to meet you, I will admit I didn’t know Skull Kids could even leave the Lost Woods.”

When Skull Kid looked at her, all he could see was darkness. She was the source of the uneasiness in this castle. He wanted to grab Link, Tatl and Tael, maybe even the strange lady in the corner, and just run away from this accursed place as fast as he could.

“Sorry if you’re spooked a little,” Zelda gestured to the woman “That’s Impa, she’s a Sheikah and my bodyguard.”

Link nervously proceeded, realising time was of the essence “Anyway, princess, we need to get the Master Sword. Is there any way you could retrieve the spiritual stones from the Goron and Zora tribes? You should still have the Kokiri Emerald.”

She nodded back calmly “When Navi came here I immediately sent word to Darunia and King Zora to bring the stones to the castle for safe keeping. It’s lucky she did, she was able to give a full report as to what had transpired.” Zelda appeared wistful, her blue eyes a little clouded “When I sent my knights to the forest they fought a great beast and came back. The carcass apparently burst into a dark mist like it was never there.” She innocently smiled “The threat has been dealt with so I don’t think you need the sword at all. Besides, your eye is missing now. How can you be an effective swordsman? I only worry for your wellbeing, Link.”

He was about to protest only to find his troubles vanish at the sight of Zelda’s perfect face. She was just being considerate after all, surely she did not think he was an invalid now. Link nervously paused as the shadows on the floor wavered. Wariness consumed his thoughts as he attempted to decipher whether it was friend or foe.

His mind was put slightly at ease when he heard Veran speak directly to his mind “There’s something wrong with her… with everyone we’ve passed so far. Skull Kid and Tael have certainly felt it.” Before he could respond to her, she warned “You do realise, Bellum is like a plague. Just because you destroy his body, it doesn’t mean you’ve beaten him.”

Now that he looked closer, he realised something off about Impa and Zelda. Their eyes lacked the spark of life he was accustomed to. Even Navi seemed weak and lacklustre as she wafted lazily in the air. In fact even the guards seemed more statuesque than usual as he wandered the castle halls. Link had been here for hours now and feeling like an utter fool for not realising something was amiss sooner. Although, it was nightfall now, a time when darkness reigned in more ways than one.

Veran commanded, still hiding beyond his sight within the veil of shadows “The stones are in a pot plant on the way out, make an excuse, leave quietly and go get the sword. Do not make a scene.”

Tatl had enough by then as she glared at the blue fairy. She violently piped up “Hey Navi, how did you escape from the temple anyway?”

Link felt himself break into a cold sweat and he could hear Veran cursing rather colourfully in his mind.

“What do you mean?” The blue fairy’s wings lowered nervously.

“Just saying, it was pretty dicey back there. Lots of dark energy, how did you survive that?”

Zelda was immediately suspicious “I don’t mean to be rude, but what are you implying?”

Tatl snapped back “Implying? I just want some answers, that’s all.”

“Sis, I don’t think now is a good time to be accusing people.” Tael warned as he trembled. The darkness in the air was intensifying. Both he and Skull Kid began to slowly back step towards the doorway to the study.

“Fairies exist to serve a purpose and once that purpose is fulfilled or you get exposed to too much evil energy, you die. It’s that simple.” Tatl flew up in Navi’s face, refusing to be ignored “I may not be an ideal fairy, but I know how things work… who or what are you really?”

The castle groaned like a demon rising from its ancient slumber. The walls shook and trembled as blood coloured mist wafted over the sky in the windows. Skull Kid and Tael did not need to be told twice as they turned tail and fled.

Tatl was knocked aside by Navi, who then snarled “Link! Who are you going to believe? Your truest friend or some misguided child with no purpose?”

Link’s eye widened as it dawned on him “You’re… you’re not Navi, are you? You tricked me… you tricked all of us!”

The quaking grew stronger as the chamber began to tear at the seams. Books and furniture violently jolted from their rightful places to scatter at random. Wordlessly, Veran revealed herself in a flourish of shadowy energy. With one hand outstretched towards Link, she unleashed a wave of darkness that sent him flying back through the halls. The sight of that study, along with Zelda, Impa and Navi, vanished as doors slammed shut behind him. He thought he caught a glimpse of a golden eyed monster peering through the window as it happened.

The castle physically spat Link out onto the pathway. Tatl quickly freed herself from his hat to float over to the pot plant Veran had mentioned. Link followed her lead shakily, still disturbed by what had happened. He retrieved the spiritual stones as he watched the castle become tangled in horrific abominations from beyond his worst nightmares. The array of tentacles and carapaces had no beginning or end. They were illogical and incomprehensible as they writhed all over the castle and barred entry to anyone outside.

“Veran just saved us from all that!” Tatl fluttered, completely terrified and shaking “By the Giants, Bellum was in there and we almost died!”

“I… I just can’t believe… Navi…” Link bowed his head solemnly “Did she really die and now Bellum’s pretending to be her or… or is she corrupted beyond repair?”

Tatl shyly responded “No idea Link, I really don’t know the finer details of how being a fairy works.”

“But Zelda and Impa are in there too!” He frantically looked for some point of entry.

“We can’t do anything now, but Veran is with them so I hope they’ll be safe.”

Link gazed as the stones in his hands “The Master Sword, we have to retrieve it!”

When they turned they saw the castle was not the only one unaffected. The sky overhead had turned a chaotic red, bleeding into the night to create an eerie shimmering purple as the stars suffocated beneath the fog. Smoke rose from Castle Town as more horrific growths burst from the ground and coiled around buildings. Link nodded to Tatl who returned the gesture. They both made haste to the Temple of Time.

 

* * *

 

 

Monstrous beings that looked like they had avoided evolution rose from gaping rifts in the earth. Each more grotesque and disturbing as the next, each bore too many golden eyes than logically possible. They crawled, strutted, flapped and jumped their way towards armed guards and helpless townsfolk. Link armed his sword and shield, doing his best to charge through the fray. He knew he should help the defenceless, but the monsters appeared capable of messily knitting back together after being sliced to pieces. Castle Town was a scene from an apocalyptic nightmare, as demonic beings quickly claimed the city as their own. Despite the efforts of Hyrule’s knights and soldiers, there were simply too many of them flooding in.

Amidst the frenzied skirmish Link made it to the Temple of Time. Oddly enough, Bellum’s minions were uninterested in the building, more focused on fighting resistance than claiming ground. He charged through the doors, sprinting to the altar to place the stones in their indentations. Tatl circled overhead to make sure the coast was clear.

“We’ll watch your back too.”

Link glanced over his shoulder to see Skull Kid and Tael in one of the alcoves. They both had a feeling he would turn up here sooner than later.

With the Ocarina of Time in hand, Link played the Song of Time. The ancient song spoke across the ages and resonated with the very flow of life. Like the Song of Healing, it was familiar, comforting, speaking to both a time before you were born and the possibly of what occurs after it ends. The mighty stone door shimmered with light as the Spiritual Stones resonated with magic. They floated over the altar, awakening the powers that were dormant in the temple. The door stiffly opened to reveal a grand chamber. A single sword with a blue hilt and pommel, studded with gold gem rested in its stone pedestal.

Skull Kid followed after Link, surprised at the fast and silent chamber beyond the door. He whistled to himself “This is amazing.”

“This is sword I told you about, with this, we have a chance against Bellum.” Link stood before the pedestal, gazing at the weapon of destiny. It had saved Hyrule before when Ganondorf tried to take over, surely it would be enough to fight Bellum now.

The temple thin veil of serenity was finally shattered as the back wall of the chamber was torn away by tendrils of darkness. Link and Skull Kid froze before the atrocious creature responsible. It was truly colossal in the vague shape of a squid. Yellow, amber and gold exoskeleton wrapped around its body and trailed decoratively around the mass of tentacles that made up its body. At least where the head should logically be was a fanged maw that opened to reveal a single golden eye amidst the drooling ectoplasm. It roared, from only the Goddesses knew where, the sound froze Link, Tatl and Tael where they stood as they tumbled backwards from the force of its voice.

Skull Kid remained before the primal deity, unaffected by its tirade. He looked over his shoulder and said “Tatl, Tael, Link… you guys will always be my friends, yeah?” A silver glimmer writhed through his straw face “No matter what happens, right?”

Link saw Bellum rear back to strike the ragdoll down “Skull Kid!”

“I may not remember who I am, but I know, I can help now. I forever vow to keep this blade from evil’s hands.” He looked back and said “You’re tainted by him too… find me, when you’re safe again.”

Bellum’s limbs were only a breath away from him, striking out with the ferocity of a lightning storm. Skull Kid became sheathed in darkness and silver, he raised his arms and called the powers of the forest to his aid. Bellum was deflected by a wall of ancient trees and eerie mannequins that rattled with the wind. Plants and creeping vines coiled then swirled around the pedestal. They engulfed the Master Sword and Skull Kid only to vanish. The chamber was torn asunder, a gaping abyss remained where the sword once rested.

“What happened!? What did he mean by all that!?” Tael flew around frantically “Skull Kid! Where are you!?”

Tatl was stunned as she phrased “How. Did. He. Do. THAT!?”

“By the Giants,” Tael flew close to his sister “You don’t suppose Twinrova and Veran were right about him all along!?”

“The Master Sword… no…” Link was devastated, he could feel all hope fading. There was nothing left to repel Bellum’s attack. Hyrule Castle and the town were lost. He stood once more to face his end, by now, everything was gone and he had no power to protect anyone. The Goddesses had abandoned Hyrule.

In a fit of rage, Bellum lunged forward to strike Link down a final time. The primordial abomination was thwarted by a shimmering golden light, as spectacular and holy as the light of the Triforce itself. Bellum reared back, unable to tolerate the purity as it vaporised into black ashes. The wind carried them off into the sky, never to be seen again. The sky turned to a heavenly blue as the darkness was cleansed by the wave of ethereal radiance.

Link noticed that Tatl and Tael were now missing as was his feeling of dread. He turned to see Zelda, her whole body shimmered with holy light. At first he suspected that she had merely awakened as a sage once more, albeit prematurely, given that none of the current sages had died yet. She still had the same gentle face, the same beautiful elegance when the light faded from her form.

“Do not be afraid, hero of time. My champion who thwarts Demise, the Demon King, each time he rears his ugly head to claim Hyrule.”

Link paused “Zelda? Your voice sounds…”

“Zelda’s bloodline is a direct link to mine. The royal family of Hyrule, has always been blessed by my divinity.” She approached him, her skirts trailed on the rubble. She did not seem the care as the fabric dirtied and tore upon the ground “You see, I am the true goddess, the bearer of the Triforce, Hylia.”

“But if that were so, then why have I never heard of you before?”

“Because history forgets easily.” Zelda placed a hand on Link’s face, it felt soothing, comforting to the touch. She gently smiled “I’m so glad I got here when I did. That corrupted Great Fairy was going to end Zelda if I had not interfered.”

“You mean Veran is working for Bellum.”

“I fear so, but I will undo the damage she has wrought on you.”

Link froze from the news, he felt like an even greater fool. “What about Skull Kid? Surely he can’t be evil too?”

“You saw that imp steal the Master Sword, did you not?”

“I…” He choked, then reluctantly admitted to himself “He did take it… right when I needed it.”

“Come my hero, I will heal you and all the people of this world. I fear this little pantomime of Bellum’s threat was nothing more than a greater scheme.”

“What do you mean? Your grace?”

“Demise’s reincarnation is attempting to claim the Triforce once more. This was all a rouse to leave you without a way to fight back.” Zelda smiled confidently “But they did not count on my interference.”

Link shuffled his feet “Um… Hylia, is Zelda still… alive? I mean, you possessed her body, is she safe?”

“I promise I would do no harm to my descendant. She will return to this body when our work is done.”

Meanwhile, Tatl and Tael watched from the fallen arches of the temple. They cowered with terror at the sight they had seen. Link was standing before a shadowy demonic entity sheathed in golden exoskeleton. Even more terrifying was how everyone appeared calm and happy, despite still being surrounded by Bellum’s forces. Bellum itself had vanished for now, but it appeared the people of this city had fallen to a horrible hex. With little else to do, Tatl and Tael flew off into the night, they had to find either Skull Kid or Sable, Iris and Onox. They could only hope that Veran had survived.


	18. Return of a warlord

Flames flickered uneasily upon their torches while shadows skittered across the floor. This dungeon cell was to be locked and forgotten by Hyrule. The stone walls were once used to support the majesty of the Spirit Temple. Now it had been torn and reshaped into a prison, the Arbiter Grounds. A glorious stamp on the Gerudo Desert from the Hylians that openly defied and insulted the Gerudo tribes. It was not enough to simply capture Ganondorf, some of the clans even relished the idea of putting an end to their power hungry king. Only the Hylians then proceeded to build this elaborate dungeon and use it to trap anyone they did not care for. The very construction of it destroyed more of the limited resources making the desert just that little bit more inhospitable. Many of the Gerudo tribes had already fled to the lands beyond Hyrule.

The guards of Arbiter Grounds were always busy with managing prisoners. But even they were reluctant to even approach the door of this particular cell. Chained and bound by all manner of magical talismans, he resembled a shackled and broken beast. Ganondorf remained against the back wall, immobilised and left with nothing more than the company of his mind. He had no idea how long he had been down there now. At first he was at least treated like a normal prisoner. However, he was never one to sit idle and promptly attempted to escape countless times. This series of magical talismans, blazoned with the crest of Hyrule’s royal family was the last resort. A bestial growl escaped him at the thought of that accursed bloodline. To go from a being a king, a warlock, a ruler of the ages, to a forgotten, rotting prisoner. He was getting sick of people always giving him reasons to hate them.

A whisper of an echo trailed down the halls, his attention wavered to it for a moment. It sounded like a fight, a very vicious one at that. A mix of dread and curiosity came to mind at the piercing shriek of a demonic entity. Ganondorf struggled against the chains, his magic was silenced by its enchantments. Yet he would not allow himself to die here like a dog on a leash as he endeavoured to destroy the chains restraining him. The metal warped slightly, but even Ganondorf lacked the ability to break himself free. If only his arms were bound at a slightly different angle. If only he was not forced onto his knees like he was repenting. Like he even had anything to repent for, only the weak had the emotion of regret and guilt.

“I’m guessing you’re the former Gerudo king.”

How this man snuck in was beyond Ganondorf’s concern. The wayward giant wore a mess of clothes and armour slick with gore. A massive, clearly stolen, Iron Knuckle axe was carried with just one hand. The pommels of various weapons jutted out of the bundle over his shoulder.

He saw past it all though, a certain ferocity in his eyes akin to the wrath of a dragon. Ganondorf untangled himself “A dragonkin? I didn’t think there were any of those left in Hyrule.”

“I’m not a dragonkin, I’ve always been a Gomess, a Terminan in apperance… I can just turn into a dragon. So you’re not completely wrong.”

Onox raised an eyebrow at the chained prisoner before him while Ganondorf scowled back. He guessed the Gerudo was as tall as him and perhaps a decade older than him. The years of being locked away had taken its toll, his clothes were reduced to tattered rags and his hair was an untameable wave of unkempt orange locks. His eyebrows had merged with his hairline at the ends and his beard was unruly. His body looked starved, only revealing his impressive athletic build more affiliated with a berserker than a warlock. Gerudo tribe symbols were tattooed upon his dark skin. His amber eyes only looked fiercer when framed by his pointed features. However there was something more menacing to his face. For some reason Onox thought this man should have a pair of tusks to gore people with.

He venomously spat back “I don’t know what Gomess or Terminan means, you worthless dog.”

Onox shrugged casually “Look, do you want to get out of here or not?”

“No one offers that unless they want something, so what do you want from me?”

“An alliance, we’re currently fighting with a primordial demon and we wouldn’t mind the help.”

“We? There’s no one else with you.” Ganondorf sneered as he looked around the chamber.

“They’re upstairs, in case you haven’t noticed but the demon I mentioned, well, it’s minions are currently attacking this place.” Onox knelt down to Ganondorf’s level “So, would you like me to leave you here or give you a chance to fight back?”

Ganondorf warned menacingly “That’s all well and good, but what’s stopping me from killing you the moment I’m free?”

“Well, think of it this way, if Bellum destroys Hyrule, what will you conquer? Perhaps this can be beneficial for both of us.”

“Bellum? Never heard of that… After this mess is done with, you will tell me everything you know.”

Onox smirked back, albeit nervously from Ganondorf’s presence, he raised his axe and cleanly sliced through the chains. He then tossed down two sheathed broadswords, an axe and a shield that crashed from the unfurled bundle of cloth. He turned on his heels and headed back out “We’ll be waiting overhead. Show us why Hyrule feared you.”

“You’re an arrogant little brat, expecting to prove myself like a child.” Ganondorf brushed off the chains, indignant of such a ridiculous challenge. “But I will play along, for now.”

Much to his surprise, Onox had already vanished from the chamber, leaving Ganondorf to arm himself. He settled on one of the broadswords to allow a free hand for casting spells. For a moment everything felt so surreal, he wondered if this was actually true or some horrifically lucid delirium. The door of the dungeon was temptingly left open to reveal the stairwell leading away from here. The sounds of battle funnelled by the corridors beckoned him to follow. Fuelled by rage for this situation, he stormed from the prison cell. It had been too long since his capture and he was going to make Hyrule regret that it ever achieved it.

 

* * *

 

 

The mutilated corpses of Hylian guards were strewn effortlessly in the hall. Blood and entrails were smeared across the floor. The scent of burnt hair stang his senses as he cautiously advanced through the seemingly quiet chamber. Ganondorf was slightly on edge and impressed by how easily his captors had been disposed of. A heavy feeling of dread overwhelmed him at the sight of the creature responsible for these deaths. They were by far the strangest monsters he had ever seen. He remained on edge, slightly shifting his weight to the balls of feet, while carefully watching their movements.

Two otherworldly beings circled through the air with ease. Giant cosmic monstrosities wreathed in jagged, sickly carapaces with long trailing, barbed tentacles of shadows. The demon squids were large enough to easily rip fully grown men limb from limb. Amidst the viscous shadows of their bodies were golden eyes staring back. It was difficult to tell where the head or tail was. The answer to this perplexing conundrum had to wait when Ganondorf realised some of those dead gold eyes were staring right at him.

He swiftly and precisely stepped to his left as the massive squid shot through the air in an attempt to tackle him. A swing of his sword cleanly severed a few tentacles from the main body of the monster. Ganondorf reflexively followed through, fortunately his fighting skills had not weakened during his imprisonment. His aim was true when he lunged forward, his sword was thrust through the maw of the second cosmic squid who was using its ally’s attack as an opportunity. Earlier he had noticed a main eye within the fanged maw at one end of the creature. His suspicions were confirmed when the creature fell down dead from such an injury, its body evaporating into dark mist.

“Those morons couldn’t work out that you had to hit the big eye?” Ganondorf shook his head dismissively at the corpses of fallen soldiers. He then finished off the other squid with a sword to the eye and progressed further through the prison. Much to his surprise there seemed to be more corpses than monsters. There was also no sight of another soul, it was almost like Onox never existed and his thought that this was some hallucination was becoming more plausible.

He paused for a moment to pinch himself hard on the arm. The sensation of pain reinforced this appeared to be really happening. Ganondorf was not going to waste this opportunity as he wandered around looking for either an armoury or some kind of supply room. When he escaped, he knew he would not get far without some kind of armour or water skins to help traverse the sand dunes.

The views of corpse piles and smears of entrails that greeted his sight were beginning to bore him. Walls were smashed asunder, the ceiling had collapsed in patches and generally every path he thought he knew was now muddled beyond recognition. So much death and destruction, and he had no part in it whatsoever, it was a strange situation to get used to now the roles had been reversed. While it showed this Bellum was a worthy and merciless opponent, it was more of a hindrance right now while Ganondorf attempted to navigate the shambled ruins of Arbiter Grounds. In a way it was good timing on this Bellum’s part as Ganondorf last heard whispers from the guards about the royal family finally making up their minds as to what to do with him. Something about a magic mirror that was entrusted to them by some ancient race no one knew about. It all sounded like a pile of Moblin dung to him.

The pinnacle of this ordeal was found when he ascended a particularly long set of stairs. The night sky stretched over the desolate expanse of the desert. A familiar breeze caressed him that he had actually missed. The stairs led to some kind of ritualistic altar on top of the prison. A large black monolith lined with white streaks like lightning was chained to the ground in the centre. Archways of beautifully carved stone lined the rooftop and were pinned by six spires of metal, each marked by an elemental sage crest. Before the monolith was a pedestal with an odd mirror mounted on it. The reflective surface appeared to be marked by mysterious runic charts and the Triforce.

This served as the backdrop of where the cosmic squids were originating. They were the flaking sentient scales of a much larger monster. The lurching invertebrate practically oozed up the outer walls of the Arbiter Grounds, its tail still half buried in the sand bellow. Skittering, sharp limbs clacked and clambered to remain gripped to the roof. The monolith was smashed as it regained its balance and perched on the rooftop. The head, or at least what Ganondorf assumed was its head, appeared to be an abyss lined by mucous membranes and twitching mandibles while framed by thick carapace armour. Again golden eyes looked back amidst the oily membranes.

“Hey naked guy! Mind lending a hand!”

The screech had come from a Deku dressed as a witch. Ganondorf was more baffled as to how she could easily sling fireballs and ice spikes at the monster without falling victim to such magic. As Iris wielded her magic, Sable was by her side and knocking back any wayward baby squids that dared to snatch them. Her gauntlets crushing their golden eyes into goo as she wove and side stepped her way swiftly through the fray.

“Finally! You’re here.” Onox laughed, his axe tore into a carapace sending a jet of liquid shadow spraying into the night air. He had scaled the mighty beast to ride it like a common horse.

“I’m Sable, that’s Iris.” She mentioned to Ganondorf while dealing with another squid “Any ideas with how to get rid of the big one?”

“Yes and you will distract it until I am ready.”

“Alright then, one distraction coming up.”

Ganondorf remained calm, surveying the area for anything of use. The mirror on the pedestal caught his attention, he could sense ancient magics emanating from its surface. The light of the moon appeared to empower it. Although he was unsure of how the power could be unlocked, he knew it could be of use.


	19. The Mirror of Twilight

Given the sheer size of the skittering monstrosity looming overhead, they needed a big distraction. Sable and Iris quickly disposed of the minor sentient scales before they could prove troublesome. The acrid stench of blood and smoke accompanied every burst of ashes from the demise of their foes. Oddly the ashes began to linger in the air more, forming solid flecks of darkness rather than fine powder. Some kind of magic was in play as the ether grew heavy in the night. At the same time, Ganondorf had easily cleared a path through the fray to make it to the mirror pedestal. He paused momentarily, casually stabbing his sword through another writhing shadow wreathed in gold exoskeleton, while remaining focused on examining the runic charts upon the mirror’s surface. There stood a man in total control, his calm attitude never dissipating amidst the chaos of fighting cosmic horrors. Panic struck the largest monster at the sight of Ganondorf at the mirror. Its colossal body struggled to move quickly to smack him down.

He knew the monster would retaliate, Ganondorf hesitated for a moment. He knew his magic would be wasted on a creature of darkness. It was why he had resorted to melee weapons throughout this madness. His concerns ceased as a blast of magic sucker punched the monster backwards. It came with the force of both an inferno and a blizzard. This was followed by the sight of a lithe armoured dragon flying overhead with Iris on its back. They continued their aerial assault, raining down elemental mayhem and capturing the monster’s attention, a tactic reminiscent of Twinrova. Inhuman screeches echoed through the lonely dunes.

“That dragon is Sable by the way.” Onox informed coldly as he appeared from amidst the ebony dust storm that swept through the arena. It seemed the useless mobs of lower beings had been taken care of.

Ganondorf made a disgusted face “And you still claim to not be dragonkin? Do you think I’m some kind of idiot or perhaps you are?”

Onox growled back “If you insist on being uncivil then we will have no choice but to abandon you here to the mercy of Bellum’s minion.”

“I never needed your pity in the first place you worthless dog, you’re just a glorified idiot in armour.”

“I assure you, I am just as dangerous as any foe you face.”

“I doubt that, the two women on the other hand, their magic is quite impressive for amateurs.”

“To be honest you haven’t done anything to warrant respect either. Any halfwit can swing a piece of sharpened metal around.”

Their petty arguing was disturbed by the sight of Sable and Iris flying past with Bellum’s minion in tow. Never before had Ganondorf seen the desert embody such fury as the monster’s body wildly thrashed in the sand. Not even the most deadly of sandstorms could compare to the turmoil he saw in the distance. If his desert was to be restored, he knew he had to get rid of that abomination first. Then he could deal with these bizarre intruders, at least they were not some waif-ish children blessed by golden triangles. Perhaps they could be taught to heel at his call.

Ganondorf laughed confidently and sneered at Onox “Then watch and be amazed, this mirror is enchanted by both light and darkness. Just what we need.”

Onox folded his arms over his chest “How? That monster is pure darkness.”

“I simply draw out the darkness to reflect light on it.”

Onox’s raised eyebrow cut through him, Ganondorf shook his head as realised what he had said. It sounded so ludicrous in theory.

“That could work, if you could even control the power of this mirror. Ah yes, the Mirror of Twilight, such darkness corrupted by light... just like those filthy Ikanans. But it’ll have to do, no?” A shadow clad, helmed figure was perched on a nearby wall. The monstrous masked visage was adorned by panels of intricate Fused Shadows. It appeared to have a human shape but that was the only discernable detail of his identity. “Fortunately, you can use it as you said, but only for a moment when the moon is a little higher in the sky and reflecting its light in just the right way. Cast your magic, but hold the beast down. You only have one chance.” He contorted his body at jarring angles before vanishing into flecks of darkness with a maniacal laugh.

Onox said loudly “Friend of yours?”

Ganondorf snapped back “No… I’d never ally with an insane fool, unless of course, he was unknowingly working for me.”

The monster in the distance howled once more as it swatted at Sable and Iris. Time was not a luxury for them. Ganondorf’s brow furrowed “There’s no way they’re big enough to restrain that creature.”

“I can be.” Onox smirked back confidently “Get the mirror aimed and ready.”

Ganondorf watched with curiosity as he saw the armoured idiot dive over the edge of the dungeon roof. He let out a smug laugh at the thought of him plummeting to his death. Yet the air had grown heavier, something of immense power was brooding. Sable and Iris retreated overhead and vanished into the distance. They dared not look back. Their sudden departure only distracted him for a moment as the earth shook. The monster was lurching back towards the Arbiter Grounds. Regardless, Ganondorf had to get the mirror ready to unleash its holy power.

A nightmarish roar echoed nearby, it was neither truly demonic or dragon in its sound. From the sands before the Arbiter Grounds arose a mighty dragon that matched the size of Bellum’s lapdog. The monstrous reptile had onyx scales and eyes like pools of blood. A vicious pair of horns crowned its fierce demonic face. Its mouth made threatening by the sight of sharp upturned tusks. The Dark Dragon’s long body writhed behind it with a thrashing tail. Long wings spanned the night sky as it effortlessly clashed with Bellum’s minion in one fell swoop. The entire creature emanated an aura of pure darkness from the Twilight Realm.

Bellum’s minion did not know what hit it when the Dark Dragon slammed violently into its engorged form. It howled and cried while struggling against the crushing grip of the dragon’s talons. Violently reeling to fling the accursed beast off, the two colossi kicked up huge walls of sand as they struggled in the sand. Onox grabbed the abomination by its exoskeleton. Stretching his wings to elevated the beast’s head above the horizon and into view of the vantage point of Arbiter Grounds. The moon glared back in the distance, an ominous sign of that was to come.

In the meantime Ganondorf corrupted the runes of light upon the mirrors surface. Chanting to himself in an ancient tongue as he conjured his blood born gifts. The runes skittered before his presence, falling out of perfect alignment and balance. He was weakening them with his powers, until they broke beneath presence of his dark magic. Desperate to flee the unmerciful wrath of pure evil, the light fled from the mirror.

A beacon atop the mighty prison shone with a silver hue. So blinding, it could be seen across the desert in the dark of night. Onox could sense the growing aura of holy magic in the distance. He rose Bellum’s minion to act as a shield, taking cover behind its massive form. A single beam of silver shot out with the precision of a well aimed arrow. It flickered through the air and skittered along the surface of the monster as it clicked its limbs and listened to the wind. Silence heralded the ray’s true effect. A final screech from a time lost monster haunted the air of the Gerudo Desert.

Shadows unfurled messily like the thread of a tapestry unravelling. Bellum’s minion physically fell to pieces. Exoskeleton among viscous, inky blackness tarred the sands bellow. Hovering overhead like a bird of prey remained Onox as he watched the darkness fade into the ether. The exoskeleton that remained hardened to stone that resembled giant pieces of Fused Shadows. Satisfied that the creature had been dealt with appropriately, he flew back towards Arbiter Grounds.

Ganondorf blinked, this was by far the strangest and most lucid hallucination he had suffered during his imprisonment. Usually brought on by exhaustion, starvation and general hatred towards his captors, he had had fantasies that these before. He looked to the ground and raised one of his feet. Pieces of broken glass and metal shards made the sole ooze blood. The sensation of pain was all too present for this to be a delusion. But while the original threat had been nullified, now he appeared to have a dragon to deal with. He stood unamused as Onox landed partially before him, tail still hanging over the side of the building.

The sheer power of darkness emanating from Onox was beyond compare. The power of a fallen god was perched before him, sizing him up just as Ganondorf was doing to him. Shadows flittered over Onox’s form and dispersed to reveal his Terminan form. He appeared utterly shocked as he demanded to know “What are you? You’re not some random Gerudo.”

Ganondorf smirked back “Of course not, I’m their king.”

“No, you can stand near me when I’m a dragon… you don’t wither and die like a pathetic weed.” Onox circled around him warily “What manner of darkness do you command? Are you even just a regular mortal or is there something more to you?”

“A regular mortal? Now, you have piqued my curiosity.” Ganondorf gestured to a set of steps as he took a seat.

“Doesn’t surprise me, that Link appeared oblivious to the wild deities as well. Is it just something people from Hyrule don’t know about?”

He took advantage of Onox’s panic, gently prying “What don’t we know about exactly?”

“Everything, like the Twilight Realm, the wild and primal deities, the passage of souls, all that stuff.”

“Is that who you answer to?”

“Yes and no.”

A familiar cry rasped overhead as Sable and Iris returned. With a swift gesture of shadows, Sable reverted from her dragon to Terminan body. Iris examined the surroundings, noting carefully to herself “Good, we’re all still alive... that was some serious shadow magic just then.”

“Barely seemed like something a mere mortal soul could wield…” Sable tilted her head, eyeing Ganondorf suspiciously “Regardless, it was lucky. How did you know the mirror would work?”

“We did have help.” Onox cut off Ganondorf before he could gloat. “Weird guy, looked like he had been exposed to magic for too long.”

She elaborated “Talked cryptically? Had a weird helm with a curled tongue, shadow robes with geometric patterns and seemed to have a few too many screws loose?”

Ganondorf stood before her “You know that lunatic?”

“Not personally, but I know _of_ him. He’s what remains of Arch Mage Zant, one of the ancient leaders of the Gomess Tribe.” Sable reluctantly admitted “I don’t know why he’s appearing or whether he’s a friend or foe.”

“Uh… big nose,” Onox was before what remained of the Mirror of Twilight “I think you broke this thing.”

Iris was already at his side, cowering behind him as she dared to gaze at it. The mirror had ceased to reflect light. Now it only absorbed, drawing everything into the swirling blackness of the abyss. Strangely it did not physically drag anyone into it. She nervously remarked, still partially hiding behind Onox who appeared immune to such malevolent powers, “Well, I doubt the makers of this mirror intended it to be used like this.”

Onox tapped on its surface “What is it anyway?”

Sable remarked as she appeared at his side “Should you really be tapping it?”

“Pretty resilient,” Ganondorf mused, stroking his jaw and shuddering. He was so unkempt, how was he to make people fear him if he looked like a hobo. “I’m sure I can find a use for it, if given time to study it.”

Onox nodded to himself confidently “I bet Vera would know how to make it work.”

“Veran!” Iris stomped frantically in place as she panicked “And Skull Kid! And Tael! And Tatl! Where are they!? I wonder what’s happened! We were meant to meet with them hours ago!”

Onox patted her head with each word “Calm. Down.”

“But what if Bellum got them!? It already got this place bad!”

Ganondorf noticed Sable nod back to him, he snarled “Who is this Bellum? I’ve never seen monsters like these before.”

She sighed loudly “A primordial deity with powers of corruption and chaos. Basically, from what I’ve heard of the stories, it’s almost as powerful as the Giants, the Oni and the Man-Eater… only it’s actually malevolent rather than neutral or benevolent.”

“Never heard of any of those gods, once we’re established I need you to tell me everything about them.”

Sable raised an eyebrow, unsure of what she had just heard “We? You’re working with us?”

“No, you’re working **for** me. I will admit, the chance to fight an unknown demonic being has caught my attention. Finally, a truly worthy adversary has appeared.” Ganondorf stood tall as he surveyed the remains of Arbiter Grounds and the misfits who had seemed to have joined him. “This dungeon, while I despise it, it’s the best we have right now to make a base. Not to mention we still don’t know what that mirror is, so let’s keep it from any weaklings that try to claim it.” He glared back at Onox, Sable and Iris “But first, we scout and take stock of supplies.”

Iris raised a hand “Can we make a quick trip to Castle Town first?”

“Later, when you’re scouting Hyrule for any signs of this Bellum.” Ganondorf bluntly responded. It was not a request to be negotiated with.

Onox felt a sharp kick to the back of his knee, forcing to stumble slightly. Glancing over his shoulder, he only saw Sable shaking her head at him.


	20. Regroup

While the main halls were strewn with corpses and severely damaged, supply rooms and arsenals remained untouched. Sable and Onox shuffled through the cluttered mazes of storage boxes and weapon racks. All displayed an elaborate crest of three triangles and a winged silhouette. It appeared that this prison was very well stocked from supplies brought in from elsewhere. This suggested that the Hylians who occupied it did not understand how to live in the desert. As they catalogued the remaining provisions and noted the various damages to the building, Sable bluntly remarked without looking up from her parchment and writing “Do you trust that guy?”

“What guy?” Onox casually asked while picking up and testing the balance of some nearby flails with a mighty swing. He frowned to himself as he found them unsatisfactory and tossed them aside. A few scarred the opposite wall as they crashed to the ground in a heap.

“That Ganondorf guy. I know he helped us destroy that thing from the sands but… I dunno, something isn’t quite right about him.” Sable ignited a nearby brazier that was mounted to the wall. This was the seventh storage chamber they had found. There was also a forge and anvil set up in the back half of the room. The fires had been smothered to weak embers.

“Hard to say, my gut tells me that he’s reliable, he’s powerful enough to get things done… but,”

“But what?”

“He didn’t seem effected by my aura when I’m in my dragon form. Any ideas as to why that might happen?” Onox smirked back “Come on, you’re the scholarly one. Tell me a theory.”

Sable paused, tapping her charcoal smudged fingers on her chin to leave a distinct stain she paid no heed to. “Perhaps, well, it’s a long shot but maybe…” She let out a sigh “You know how you have the soul of a wild deity in you.”

He nodded back “Yeah, Horonox, the Dark Dragon… right?”

“Maybe Ganondorf does as well. But it’d have to be a pretty strong one to actually repel the power of the dragon king.”

“So which one would it be then?”

“Perhaps Demise?” Sable waved her hands as she explained “According to Gomess lore, Demise, the Demon King, was a rival of the Golden Goddesses and anyone associated with them. So why wouldn’t he have a reincarnation of his power here in the realm made by the Golden Goddesses. Their rivalry was pretty vicious, it’s why the other deities pretty much told them to get lost which is why this realm exists.”

“If that was the case, then why wasn’t he worshipped like the Giants, the Oni and Man-Eater?”

“That’s why I suggested the reincarnation theory.” Sable leant in close to Onox “There were myths of Demise leaving Termina and stalking the Golden Goddesses shortly after they declared Termina, the Twilight Realm and the wild deities as deranged abominations that held no sense of morality or justice.”

“Yeah, just another reason to hate those Golden Goddesses.” Onox chuckled to himself “I bet they were never invited to any parties.”

Sable laughed as she replied “They were the aristocrats of the primal deities, always thinking they were superior to everyone else because they were shiny. To be honest the deities aren’t as all knowing as we’re lead to believe, they’re just as imperfect as we are.”

He returned to the initial query “So Ganondorf may be more of an ally than we think.”

“I wouldn’t trust him so easily, we still don’t know what we’re dealing with at all and if he’s anything like the Ganondorf we know in Termina, he’s a sneaky bastard. So… maybe we should not be so willing to blindly follow.”

“Nah, I reckon he’s good. I think we should stick with him for a while.”

“And you base this on what?”

“My gut, my instincts are telling me that this Ganondorf is the only one powerful enough to help us in this world.”

She reluctantly admitted “Well… your gut seems to be right most of the time.”

He clapped her on the shoulder “See, nothing to worry about. We’ll be fine.”

“Yeah… but the second things go weird, Iris and I are out of here.” Sable gestured to him to follow her as she had finished her book keeping for that room.

 

* * *

 

 

The chamber belonging to guard captain seemed a fitting place as any to clean himself up. Ganondorf glared disgustedly at his own reflection. He’d never looked so pitiful in his life, even when he was younger and got lost in the desert due to recklessness. There was a collection of grooming blades and brushes on the desk nearby. He supposed he could indulge in vanity while his new minions were evaluating their possible strong hold.

“Maybe trim your beard, so it’s neat and close to your jaw.” He glared at Iris who was leaning against the nearby desk. She cheerfully offered “As for your hair, it’s pretty nice, like a big mane you’d expect to see on a wild boar. Actually something about you screams ‘feral boar in a human skin’, or am I just imagining things?”

“You’re positively mad.” He snatched a razor from the tabletop, evaluating its sharpness “Shouldn’t you be with the others?”

“Nah, I’d just slow them down. I mean, look, my legs are ridiculously short.” She lifted one her feet up to emphasise her point.

“And you’re here because.”

“I dunno, nothing else to do. Anyway, what shall we do about your hair?”

Ganondorf bluntly stated “I thought Deku scrubs were primitive little cretins that danced around weeds.”

“Maybe the ones in Hyrule, I’m from Termina, we rule the Southern Swamps.”

“Ah yes, this Termina place. Never heard of it before now.”

Iris playfully shrugged “I didn’t know Hyrule was a place until I came here so we’re on the same page.”

He grunted back to her “You know most people keep their distance around me, you’re either stupid or suicidal. Now get out of my sight before I set you aflame.”

“Yeah, not sure if you saw me conjuring fire and ice before, but that kind of magic doesn’t scare me anymore.” Iris chuckled while he resentfully growled a curse under his breath. “Anyway, you want some help or not? I can rummage around and see what clothes there are, but you’re pretty big, like muscular and tall, not fat, so I don’t know if there’s anything in your size.” She plodded off to rummage through nearby cupboards.

Ganondorf shook his head to himself “How are you able to conjure fire and ice? It should consume you instantly.”

“Because I taught by one of the best, Twinrova.”

He immediately lunged for her, grabbing her by the scruff of her neck to lift her to his eye level “You know Twinrova!?”

“Well, the Twinrova in Termina. She’s a higher arcane deity that’s taken the masks of two witches in the Southern Swamp. They raised me, they also trained Sable and Onox.”

“Tell me more about this place, Termina.”

“Uh, sure, but let me down first, please.”

Ganondorf obliged her request, for the time it took to tend to himself she informed him of ideas he had never considered before. Apparently this Termina was a playground for the deities of the Twilight Realm and allowed a plethora of intriguing magical phenomena to occur. By the time he was ready to regroup with Sable and Onox, Ganondorf was more confident in the abilities of his new found allies. Now he had to work out how to best manipulate them.

Wandering out to the main hall, he felt a bit more presentable with his beard neatly trimmed to his jawline. His prisoner rags had been replaced by a black and red tunic and trousers that amazingly fit him. Although he was eager to know of the armoury and if there was a forge anywhere, he thought now would be the time for a new set of armour. Sable and Onox were already conversing with Iris in the centre of the vast, decrepit chamber. All three abruptly hushed their whispers upon his approach.

“Right,” Ganondorf folded his arms over his chest as he eyed his possibly minions up “You,” he nodded at Onox “Fill me in on what this place can offer as a strong hold,” He then looked at Iris and Sable “You two, go scout around. Find out what state Hyrule is in. I doubt that monster was the only one.”

Sable and Iris nodded, cautiously glaring at Onox as they both quietly retreated upwards to the rooftop. Onox did not like the aura he sensed from this Ganondorf fellow. For the first time since the Moonfall, he felt a little shiver of dread. Nevertheless he took a deep breath, calmed himself and proceeded to inform Ganondorf of what they had discovered about Arbiter Grounds. 

 

* * *

 

 

The vast Gerudo desert swept bellow them in a blur, the sandy dunes rippled like the waves of ocean to the rhythm of the wind. Iris was perched on Sable’s head, now in dragon form, soaring effortlessly through the moonless night. Oddly the sun had not yet risen as the clouds draped over the sky in a musty blanket. It was not long before the silvery sands gave way to the viridian fields that marked the central region of Hyrule. Although there was no sea in the distance, Iris marvelled at the drastic changes in terrain based on which direction you travelled. Perhaps Hyrule and Termina were not as different as she originally assumed.

Sable attempted to speak, her voice distorted to hisses and draconic growls. Iris nodded “Look, if you don’t like that guy then why are you following his orders?” She chuckled at the roar that followed as she informed “I am taking this seriously.” She leant closer, resting her head lower near Sable’s hardened webbed fins “It’s just, when you’ve lived through the Moonfall, what else can you do but laugh? Well… unless someone cuts out your tongue or rips out your throat… Not that I have to worry about that.”

An unearthly glow radiated to the horizon to their left, momentarily silencing Iris’ commentary. Cautiously and remaining at a high altitude they dared to circle closer to the source of the anomaly. Shimmering liquid gold divided the skyline as it writhed with tendrils of black lightning. The cloak was drawn around a city down below as clouds billowed from the tips of gold. They had never seen such magic before in their life. It was unlike the atmosphere of the Twilight Realm, almost a mockery, a failing copy of its splendour. Nevertheless, it had been erected by some unknown being and now barred passage from the fields to the city it obscured.

Sable reared back suddenly, feeling the wind beneath her wings turn aggressive. Attempting to grab her and drag her into the vortex growing atop the golden cage. Amidst the wild torrents, two fairies collided into Iris, almost sending her sprawling to her death. Iris caught them and regained her grip on Sable as the dragon veered off to the south. The unpredictable winds sent them wildly tumbling to finally crash into a forest.

Weakened by the fall, Sable reverted to her normal body and surveyed the woods. Iris was beside her, still tightly holding the two fairies close to her chest. It was near impossible to discern what forest they were in. The darkness muddled their senses, the trees blurred into a verdant maze with a canopy that obscured the sky.

Tatl fluttered upwards and stretched her wings “That was mental, how did you know where to get out?”

Tael shyly answered “I didn’t, I just guessed.”

“Well, lucky we bumped into you two.” Tatl circled around them happily, stirring Iris from her place on the ground.

The Deku scratched at her head “What happened to that city anyway? What is that light thingy?”

Tael shook nervously “No idea, but Bellum showed up at the castle, Veran saved us, we went to the Temple where the magic sword is kept…”

Tatl finished “Something happened to Skull Kid… and then Link got captured by monsters.”

“What happened to-” Iris was silenced as Sable raised a hand for quiet. On the wind was the faint echo of a brass pipe playful a giddy tune. Yet what deranged soul would play such a melody at such an arduous time?

Collectively they pursued the source of the sound, carefully navigating the tangled forest floor as best they could. The source of the song was seen dancing chaotically upon a series of ancient, withered tree stumps. He wore a broad rimmed travelling hat, rough tunic with a large leaf acting as a cloak. His body swirled with alabaster patterns akin to a creature of the Twilight Realm. Brightly coloured leaves and feathers adorned his hat and belt with a wooden necklace rattling with his movements. Most shockingly was his face, a mostly featureless silverly grey, two nostrils slightly above an impossibly wide smile. Slightly pointed ears were adorned by four jade earrings.

He stopped playing, tapping his lantern made of Fused Shadows. His eyes were surrounded by shadows aside from bright red and orange iris with green pupils. Exactly like the eyes of Majora’s Mask. He smiled happily “Tatl, Tael, Iris, Sable… it’s me.”

Tatl blurted out “Skull Kid!? But…”

“You’re a wild deity!?” Sable’s eyes widened “Twinrova and Veran were right! No wonder the Man-Eater could create the Moonfall by possessing you!”

“Yes, I was once the wanderer. It’s why I can move between Termina and Hyrule so easily while no one else can. I still don’t remember all of it, but I remember my face now.” Skull Kid nodded to himself and span around on his heels, pausing as he saw the shocked expressions of the others “Are you guys… not my friends anymore?”

Tael perched on his hat “What a stupid question, of course we’re still friends!”

Skull Kid felt relieved “Then you understand that I can’t hang out with you at the moment. I need to keep the Master Sword safe until Link can find me. I hope you can find Veran and Onox again.”

Iris nodded “It’s alright. Onox is safe, we’ve made a new ally with this Ganondorf guy.”

Sable bowed her head “Thankyou for telling us everything, we’ll find Veran and Link. We promise you.”

Tael fluttered into Skull Kid’s view “Wait a minute, don’t you want us to stay here with you? Won’t you get lonely?”

“No, I’ve never been lonely since I met you all.” Skull Kid blew a note on his pipe as the tree branches parted like the arms of a giant “This forest is my haven, I will remain here for now. It’s the best way I can help… Bellum is far too powerful for us to fight as we are now. All we can do is hide and build our strength.”

With heavy hearts they parted ways once more to return to Arbiter Grounds. A heavy feeling of uncertainty remained in the air. Fortunately Bellum had not seemed to have taken notice of their presence in Hyrule. This was good. It meant they had time to strategise.

 

* * *

 

_Winding forests trailed over a bog of celestial darkness. The air was clouded and hazy with flecks of obsidian. Link barely felt conscious as he gazed around himself. The forest looked like trees, yet seemed to move and stare at him when he turned away. The stones he stood upon amidst the starry ooze were real. Glimmers of rainbow light writhed upon the surface of everything around him. Everything felt so warm, comforting, like he knew this place. He felt his body growing heavier as Link finally knelt down on the stone. It would be so much easier if he could just rest a while. He smiled to himself, still feeling at peace from the memory of Hylia. She had saved him so easily from Bellum’s grasp._

_His mind was roused by the cries of voices, although he could not piece together what they were saying. Link gazed into the distance from his place on the ground. He saw a trio of spectres that came clearer as they floated towards him. His eye widened, they were the spirits of the three who helped him defeat Majora’s Mask. He suspected their souls were put to rest at the Carnival of Time when he saw the masks shatter and release them into the great unknown. Now, here they appeared before him, the Goron, Darmani, the Zora, Mikau and finally the Deku, the butler’s son. Their faces were contorted with panic yet their voices were unclear. Muffled cries from drowned throats._

_Darmani roared as he clenched his fists and stood defiantly. The mighty Goron was howling at something behind Link. Before Link could turn, Mikau had already grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him to his feet. He shoved Link down the path with the butler’s son wildly gesturing him to follow. The unearthly screeches of a creature forgotten by time echoed behind him. It cut through the haze like a blade._

In that instant Link awoke, confused and perplexed. His breathing was a frantic panic as he realised he was in Hyrule Castle and he was safe.


	21. Waiting for the storm to pass

The return flight to the desert was horrifyingly mesmerising. Hyrule was changing before Sable and Iris’ eyes. The large cosmic shield around the castle to the north had strengthened into a constant stream of light that billowed darkness that smothered the sky. The water of the lake to the south was already turning purple and green. Earth rocked uneasily like a giant stirring, cracks were revealed to allow more primordial horrors to writhe from the dark bellow. There was no battlefield or great war to combat the encroaching plagues of Bellum. If the legends were to be believed, he would have already taken command and placed his conduits subtly throughout the land. This horrific transformation, this reversion to a time before modern species could thrive, was not done on impulse or created abruptly on a whim. Only the Giants knew what fate had befallen those caught within the barrier around the castle.

Iris nervously muttered to herself “First he takes the hope of the people, then he takes their world, then he feeds on it. Never really kills them, only drawing strength from their suffering…”

Sable growled back in her dragon form, at least for now the desert appeared relatively unaffected by the plagues. She wondered if it was even safe to travel the land now.

“In the story, Bellum turned the Deku King of that era into a conduit… he spewed poison throughout the swamps and killed most of his people. My race only survived because Dakar, Odolwa’s Champion, sought refuge in Woodfall with the survivors.” Iris looked to the horizon, the towering Arbiter’s Grounds came into view “Let this dungeon be our Woodfall. Bellum can’t have killed everyone in Hyrule.”

Sable growled back a little, the tales of Bellum’s claim on Termina was catalytic to the Gomess and Ikana as well. For it was after this event that Majora finally unleashed her wrath upon the warring tribes and cast herself along with the accursed mask into the abyss of the Twilight Realm. Yet even then, there were survivors. A delicate hope was cultivating in their minds, perhaps they could overcome this plague like their ancestors.

Iris muttered to herself “But the Giants aren’t here… can they even hear us if we cry for help? Maybe, Skull Kid can call them for us?”

The rest of the light passed in silence as they returned to Arbiter’s Grounds. The welcoming sight of an ordinary desert was a relief compared to the mutations they had witnessed. The air had a sharp chill as an unending night appeared to have settled for now.

 

* * *

 

 

The main doors of the grand hall were blocked with an inconceivable amount of rubble. Huge hunks of stone were dragged and stacked before it to bar entry. Ganondorf and Onox stood back to admire their handiwork. After surveying Arbiter’s Grounds, they realised they did not have the manpower to guard all points of entry. They decided the best course of action was to seal off the main tunnels to better control how any invaders would progress through the dungeons. Fortunately there appeared to be many traps built into the corridors so it would be foolish not to take advantage of that so the desired paths also encouraged trespassers to fall right into them. Also it would make one hell of a racket to break through here now.

Upon their return to the upper, grand hallway and barracks, Iris and Sable were descending from the rooftop. Their feet were dragging, their eyes did not hide the fact they were deeply disturbed as they walked with the enthusiasm of ReDeads. Curious to know what fate had befallen Hyrule, Ganondorf marched before them like a cocky lion. He folded his arms over his chest “So how is the state of the world I am about to own?”

Sable raised an eyebrow and dismissed him with a wave “It’s dying, if I were you I’d think of conquering somewhere else.”

Iris forced herself to remain optimistic “There has to be some way to curb Bellum’s plague, otherwise we’re not even safe here out in the desert.”

“I’ve no idea, I mean, Termina had the power of the Giants to help and that’s because the Giants actually love Termina.” Sable shook her head, collapsing into a large armchair by the long table “I doubt those Golden Goddesses will intervene here.”

“Well, there’s gotta be something that can be done. What about that weird mirror on the roof? Can we work with that? I mean…” Iris’ arms fell to her sides as the realisation dawned “What does that mirror even do now?”

“We could play with it later. I’m mean, I could give it a go, but Veran is more adept at shadow manipulation than I am.”

Onox noticed Iris’ glance in his direction, he shook his head “I’m a therianthrope, not a shadow mage. I don’t do that stuff.”

“Did I say you could sit?” Ganondorf was livid by being ignored, his rage directed towards Sable who offered a quizzical stare to his reaction. “You pathetic dog, you’ll do as I say wh-”

“Hey, guess what!?” Sable rose from her seat with indignant annoyance “Hyrule is going to become Bellum’s food, like a festering corpse to a maggot within a matter of days, maybe even hours. I don’t know, you may have been a king but you’re clearly not one now. So you have NO right to boss any of us around!”

Dialogue devolved into primal snarls and growls as they attempted to out menace one another. They paced around the chamber like wild dogs ready to fight. Iris hid under the table, she knew it would not be long before the magic started to go crazy. Like the calm before the storm, she waited for something, anything to happen to break the uneasy silence between them.

The intense antagonism dissipated when Onox re-entered the room. He carried a large pot to the main table, steam rising from the lid angled crookedly over it. Without taking notice he retreated to another room to return with bowls and cutlery. When he finished setting the table, he realised Ganondorf was staring at him with a mix of confusion and disgust. To which he shrugged back and said “We can’t fight the world on an empty stomach so I put this together with the supplies from the scullery.”

Ganondorf raised an eyebrow warily “What kind of warrior are you?”

“A sensible one because I can cook… kind of.”

Iris remarked upon emerging from beneath the table “Barely.”

“I don’t think you get to judge, you don’t have a tongue or a sense of taste.” She giggled to herself and took a seat at the table. He sighed aloud “Arguing like idiots isn’t getting us anywhere, let’s just calm down and have a civilised meal together.”

Sable nodded to him calmly “You’re right Ox, it’s been a long day. We need to take a break and refocus our efforts.” She took a seat beside Iris “We can fill you in on what we saw and you can tell us what’s been happening here.”

Onox smiled broadly “My thoughts exactly.”

Iris called out “Ganondorf, stop being a sook and come eat food!”

Ultimately, Ganondorf obeyed his stomach, given he was unable to recall when he actually had food rather than garbage ridden leftovers in that slop they served prisoners. Defiantly, he took a seat at the head of the table, arms folded over his chest as he surveyed his subjects.

Iris placed a large bowl of stew in front of him “Do you ever get tired of being so difficult and bossy?”

He coldly replied “Do you ever get tired of being so naïve or is it stupidity that makes you unafraid of me?”

Onox growled lowly “Why don’t you both just shut up and eat!?”

Sable then abruptly paused, spoon full of food hovered over her dish. Like a dog that had heard a cry in the night, her gaze frantically jumped across the room. Finally fixated upwards, at the stairwell, as she leapt to her feet and sprinted off.

 

Her heart was pounding in her chest when she emerged in the roof top courtyard. There was a fluctuation in the air, much like when Veran drags you into the Twilight Realm. That pulse of magic was her signature, a unique ripple in the ether that surrounds all sentient beings. The darkened, macabre skies still stretched far into the horizon. The sands bellow still danced to the breeze. Yet the mirror, the shadowy void that resided where the relic had once stood, was shifting. Unsure of its true form since it had been cleansed of light, the darkness writhed, seeking a new shape. The gaping emptiness almost cried in agony as it was ripped open from beyond the veil of time. Beyond the tear was Veran in her true form, as a giant Great Fairy. A tiny writhing creature was clutched one of her hands, lifting it to her face she snarled “Zant, I will bury you in the twilight if you interfere again!”

Zant futilely squirmed “But I helped! See! My knowledge of darkness allowed these people to repel a monster. That void I made even helped you get back here with ease!”

Her eyes narrowed as she fumed “So, you want to be helpful? Want to win my favour?” She saw him nod back enthusiastically, she then wickedly remarked “I can assist with that desire.”

“Wait, what are you doing to me!?”

“You seem to know about this mirror, so why not stay in there while I work out what to do with you!” With an enraged throw Veran soared out from the darkness and cast Zant into the swirling abyss. Two of her arms were focused on the casting of an ancient spell while her other arms were containing the magical reaction dancing into existence. The shadows then collapsed on themselves, inverting to become an ancient mirror made of Fused Shadows. The spell had ended and Veran reverted to her mortal form as she landed elegantly in the courtyard before the monolith.

Sable raised an eyebrow to her master “Do I dare ask what happened to you?”

“Too much, but I was able to save the princess before Bellum got to her. She’s hidden well, for now. Link is trapped in Castle Town so that’s just one more thing to add to our ever growing list of things to do.” Veran levitated the reformed mirror to its rightful place on the pedestal nearby “I do not know how that lunatic got out of the Twilight Realm. But, he’s contained for now. What is a relic of Fused Shadows doing here anyway?”

“I’m not sure of that either, but everything has escalated quickly… so let’s prioritise,” Sable gestured to the swirling lights in the distance “How do we stop that before it becomes too much?”

“That will pass over the next few hours, there is nothing we can do but wait it out. If we hold up here, we can avoid the transformation process Bellum casts upon the lands he claims.”

“That’s not much of a plan.”

“Right now we need to worry about our survival, we can’t help anyone if we’re victims or dead. That reminds me, where are Iris, Onox and Skull Kid?”

“Iris and Onox are here, but Skull Kid… he’s actually a primal deity. He’s hiding out in the forest and keeping a hold of the Master Sword.”

She smiled back “Good, so he finally remembers who he is. I’m sure he’ll be safe now.” Veran examined their surroundings “But why come here?”

“Ox’s idea, apparently there’s some demon king of Hyrule here, but he’s a bit of a jerk who happens to be good at magic.”

“I see…” Veran blinked at the sight of Iris and Onox emerging from the floors below. They both were charging towards her to hug her tightly.

Iris cheered “You’re alive!”

Onox laughed “Thank the Giants, you’re still alright!”

“Put me down now.” Veran snapped back, Onox sheepishly lowered her to the ground. “Right, so who is this demon king of Hyrule?”

“That would be me,” Ganondorf confidently smirked as he ascended the stairs. He was calm and smug like he owned the place. “Who are you and where did you come from?”

“Veran, I am a Sorceress of Shadows and their master.” She gestured to Sable and Onox “And you are?”

He folded his muscular arms over his chest menacingly “Ganondorf.”

Veran frowned back, her eyes glowed amber with fury “Don’t play with me boy.”

Ganondorf stepped back, for a second he thought he saw Veran as a distorted giant woman with four arms and filamentous wings. A twisted Great Fairy. He felt Veran push past him as she went down the stairs “Come, we need to take refuge in here before the brunt of the storm hits.”

They all followed after her, a barrier of darkness ignited around the doorway leading downwards. Conjured with a snap of Veran’s fingers, the shadows gathered and swirled to construct barriers over every exposed opening of Arbiter’s Grounds. For a second though, Ganondorf hesitated to follow. Frantic screeches and banging from within a cage were muffled nearby. He cautiously identified the source as the newly reformed mirror on the pedestal. He smirked to himself when he saw a glimmer of Zant’s armour in the reflection and then descended down the stairs before the barrier fully closed.


	22. Wake up!

“So… now Hyrule is safe, can Zelda be returned to her body yet?” Link quizzically looked to the creature known as Hylia.

She sat upon her gilded throne in the grand hall of Hyrule Castle, looking every bit as beautiful as Zelda with an ethereal aura shining from her like a brilliant star. Guards stood to attention dazed by her natural radiance. The various goddesses depicted gloriously through painting, sculpture and tapestry paled compared to the newly crowned queen. Even Navi seemed to have forgotten Link as she spent all her time with Hylia.

The monarch’s heavenly eyes were blankly iridescent, offering an outstretched hand to assure Link “Not yet, there is still much to do.”

Link took her hand gently and kissed it as she had requested days ago. He nervously dared to ask “Like what?”

“Nothing you should be worried about,” Hylia smiled gently, tilting her head as she kindly reminded him “You’ve already sacrificed so much, Link. You don’t need to worry anymore, when I’m done, Hyrule will never be in danger again.”

Link’s brow furrowed, carefully prying “Yes, I see that, but I don’t see how you intend to do that.”

“Do not worry, my friend. Just go out and enjoy the day.”

With a dismissive wave, Link was hastily escorted out of the throne room by two honour guards. It appeared as though it was time for Hylia to attend to more serious matters for the day. With little else to do until nightfall, Link left the solitude of the palace, the empty luxurious halls, and wandered into Castle Town. A shiver ran down his spine, a reflex he had been experiencing at random recently. By instinct he gazed upwards to see the sky, a heavenly blue, just like Zelda’s eyes. He rubbed his eye as he thought he saw ripples among the clouds like a stone skimming over a pond. Although he assumed he was imagining things as the sky remained the same. Link shook his head, these murmurs in the sky were worrying, sometimes he heard a dragon’s roar, other times a silhouette of a mighty winged beast. Yet only he seemed to be capable of catching a glimpse of it.

 

Time had passed in a surreal haze as peaceful days blended into uneventful nights. The climax of Bellum’s appearance in Hyrule had been effortlessly dissipated with a swift gesture from Hylia, Zelda’s ancestor and the true goddess of Hyrule. Link found this a little unsettling given he had never heard of Hylia before except for Hylia Lake to the south of Castle Town. He always knew Zelda’s bloodline held great power but this was most unexpected. Now that Hyrule was no longer threatened, Link remained in town although he was not sure why he did so. He remembered vaguely something had happened at the Temple of Time, some relic had been stolen, but no clear recollection came to mind. Maybe someone was waiting for him, yet any attempt to remember was met by disturbing foggy entities with muffled voices. Nevertheless he felt no pressing reason to leave, especially now that he was living in the palace as Hylia’s most trusted companion. Even though the title meant he was kept like a pet who roamed the town on most days.

At that moment he was passing by the temple in question, already masons and carpenters were rebuilding it. They had planned to replace the old goddesses with tributes to Hylia. The goddess who came to their aid in their hour of need and recently decreed the true goddess of Hyrule. Link still felt uneasy as villagers traversed the streets without a care in a world. All were eagerly helping one another to rebuild. He lowered his gaze to the cobbled street as he kicked a stone. His swordsman days were over, his recalled that his eye was taken from him during that battle in the streets. Hylia told him so after he awoke so it must have been true. Now all he could do was be there for Zelda and wait for Hylia to ascend to the heaven and return Zelda’s soul to her body.

Nights made him uneasy as strange dreams continued to haunt him, spirits were calling out to him. Although he did not understand why. The jumbled screams of inhuman voices always forced him awake. He wondered how long it had been since he actually slept through the night. It felt like the only time he felt truly awake was that brief moment he was snapped back into reality. Only to quickly succumb to the intoxicating haze of peace and prosperity that muddled his senses. Although, he was a one eyed swordsman now, maybe it was for the best that he was no longer needed to save Hyrule from danger.

After yet another uneventful day where everything went according to plan, Link retired to his chambers of the castle. He restlessly paced in the regal boudoir, eying his bed with suspicion. A sigh escaped him, he used to love falling asleep. He ran a hand through his hair, removing his hat and eye patch in the process. Placing the articles of clothing on his dresser he gazed in the mirror. The scars over his eye look well healed, it did not make sense given a short time had passed since Hylia’s descent on Hyrule.

For a second he caught another figure in the reflection of his mirror, a tall woman with blue skin was standing behind him. The bangles on her ankles jingling as she impatiently tapped her foot muttering “The Oni will change its mind if you don’t meet with it.”

“I know you… Veran?” Yet when he turned she had vanished from sight. Something had shifted in the air, making it feel heavy yet comforting. Feeling drowsy, Link dared to fall asleep, this time he had an idea in mind of how to rid his nightmares.

 

* * *

 

 

The same twisted bog greeted his dreams. The same trio of souls frantically emerged to protect him from some unknown foe. After nights of the same routine, Link decided that rather than allow the monster behind him to awaken him, he would follow the Deku scrub. If this was a case of ghostly possession, he knew he had to find the reason behind the haunting and ease the troubled spirits. That was the only way he could solve this. He humoured the Butler’s son, following the frantic child down the winding path as the bog faded away from their surroundings. The air was growing heavier, flecks of darkness began to waft in the ether.

The darkness parted to a permanent state of mingling orange light amidst shadows. Their path was a trail of obsidian through the nothingness. Finally a pedestal came into view with a blue hilted blade thrust into the stone. The blade looked dull and the Triforce upon it had faded and cracked. The Deku shattered into dust upon approaching it making Link hesitate.

Link’s eye widened as he remembered “The Master Sword… why is it here?”

The blade reacted to his words as it shivered and broke into fragments of darkness. Franticly Link sprinted to it only to have the shadows slide through his fingers and ooze through the cracks in the ground.

“It will be of no use to you.” The voice was a chorus of many, shifting in gender and age in every breath.

He turned around nervously to see a great horned figure wreathed in the purest alabaster light. It was neither male nor female, the giant stood with the commanding presence of a heroic warrior. Red and blue war paint marked where it eyes would theoretically be. A familiar silver cuirass lined with gold divided the entities body in a humanoid shape. On the breastplate bore the crests of a single triangle and a crescent moon. Three azure stones were embedded over its collarbones. The very aura of this creature was neutral but powerful. Far beyond any creature Link had ever faced.

Link could scarcely believe it “You’re… the Fierce Deity… the actual deity! The spirit that was in the mask and possessed me to fight Majora’s Mask.”

“Good, you remember, after all, only you could don my mask.” It nodded back knowingly “I go by many names, the Fifth Giant, the Oni, the Man-Eater’s bane.”

“I really don’t understand what’s happening.”

“Why should you? You’ve fallen right into Bellum’s mind-numbing plague.”

He paused, the silence resonated for a second before Link snapped “A plague… so, Hyrule’s still in danger!? How do I stop him!? The Master Sword is gone!”

“That butterknife would not dent that deity’s armour. But there is promise in it. If you claim the Master Sword and forge it in the souls of Bellum’s conduits you can turn it into the Helix Blade.” The deity stepped forward menacingly “How could you forget wielding it? Remember how easily it cut through Majora’s Mask?”

Link stepped back, trying to maintain a gap between him and the immortal before him “Bellum’s conduits? What are those and where are they?”

“Splinters of Bellum’s form, hidden throughout Hyrule to keep it subdued and keep a steady flow of souls to him… he is a parasite. There are six in total, each were once a Sage of your world. You will need two souls to forge the blade, the other four will strengthen you so you can stand a chance against Bellum.”

“Right, I know what to do,” Link lowered his head and bowed to the Fierce Deity, he muttered “I can still be of use… While Hylia protects the kingdom, I will save Hyrule.”

The deity narrowed its eyes “Do not trust the false goddess.”

“A false goddess? Wait…” Link immediately looked up and asked “You could be false too, how can I trust you?”

“Because you recognise me, regardless of my current form, you know my aura, my magic.” It saw Link reluctantly nod back to it “Our powers were amalgamated into a single entity when you willingly donned my mask and fought the Man-Eater. Thanks to you, I won our game once again.”

He felt sick to stomach from this realisation “Wait… Termina’s Moonfall was just a game to you!? Aren’t you supposed to be a good god!?”

“I am an entity of abolition and order… I do not follow inane alignments of morality.”

“Then what was Majora?”

“Majora… that was the name of the Gomess who fused with the Man-Eater’s Mask and doomed her race to extinction… she hid the mask to avoid it ever being used again… no, the monster you faced was the Man-Eater, an entity of insanity and chaos. My antagonist and only equal.” The deity lunged forward, grabbing Link by his chest with one massive hand. Its voice was nothing but venom and rage “If you wish to play with Bellum’s delusions, growing drunk off his lies until you’re wasted away into nothing, then fine. If you truly remember who you are, then you will rise to the challenge and abolish this corruption.”

The second the deity released Link from its grasp, he thought he could saw Veran behind the deity. She was in Great Fairy form and smiling at him like a Cheshire cat. Her voice was a mix of curiosity and mischief as she stated “Watch for a dragon in the sky. She’s your only way out.”

The world fell all around him to be replaced by an endless void in a heartbeat. He felt weightless as he tumbled down into the pit of nothingness.

Cold sweat drenched his body as Link’s eyes snapped open. He laid in bed, paralysed with fear as the night crawled on. He did not move until morning had broken and sunlight began to filter through the windows. Nervously, he stumbled to the window, hands trembling as he pulled the curtains back. He expected to see a monstrous, winged lizard awaiting him on the other side of the glass.

But there was nothing, no dragon as Veran had mentioned.


	23. Breaking out

That morning had passed uneasily for Link, the sun appeared to be dragging its feet as well. He wandered the ramparts of the castle baffled by the visions in his dream. A patrol of guards passed him without even acknowledging his existence. Link then paused abruptly as he noticed something peculiar. All the guards that passed shared the same face. They were identical copies of one another, right down to their eye and hair colour. He shook his head, trying to convince himself that it was a trick of the mind. Confusion and distrust boiled when he passed yet another group of guards with the same ailment of mimicry. He blinked again, the guards all looked like the same generic Hylian with pointed ears and blonde hair. Stalwart and noble as they marched along the ramparts, even though it was unclear as to where they were parading off to in such a formation.

The dream from the night before had changed the way he saw the world. It altered the way he felt as well, the entire morning dread had hovered over him. The feeling of hundreds of invisible eyes gazing at him made him feel sympathy to animals chased by the hunt. The guards had noticed this change as well as they calmly turned around to march towards him. Link’s pace quickened as he went from a walk to a sprint. Strange magic was growing in the air, the sky began to sink and bludge like a heavy rock weighing down a cloth. Finally the sky tore open with the sound of ripping fabric and a dragon’s howl.

The armoured dragon swiftly cut through the skies as it went in to a nose dive. Link panicked when he realised the monstrous lizard was charging towards him. He was flung forward when the dragon perched on the ramparts. With open jaws, a great ball of flame consumed the pursuing guards. Link felt the world slow around him, the smell of ash and smoke clouded his senses. He looked up to see a Deku waving to him from the dragon’s back. Before he could protest, one of the dragon’s claws lashed out and closed around him. A mighty sweep of its wings sent it jettisoning upwards towards the rip in the heavenly blue sky.

Overhead was a dark purple swirled with blood red stain on the sky. The filaments of calming blue were frantically knitting together to close the opening that had been torn. On powerful wings the dragon broke through the barrier to return to the sky they had come to know. Sable looked down to see Link still in her claws although he was struggling against her grip. Iris had noticed it too, the way he looked at them like they were monsters to be slain. They hoped that Veran had spoken true when she mentioned his true memory could be restored with Skull Kid’s help.

Their assault on the grand barrier encasing Castle Town had not gone unnoticed. Swarms of intangible darkness gathered from the ether to become avian monstrosities. Sharpened beaks wildly snapping and cawing with disgust and rage at them. Time was short for Sable and Iris, they had to get to the drop of point to lead this mob of Bellum’s cronies away.

The sky was truly the maelstrom of darkness Link had caught a glimpse of. Bellow him was a barrier of shimmering gold light that held Castle Town, and all who lived there, in captivity. With the castle completely isolated, the rest of Hyrule had been left to rot. The earth had turned a sickly green where plants dared to grow on the barrens. The plants were now more like thick rubbery fungi shaped like plants, a crude mimicry of how a monster would build a forest. Lake Hylia in the distance was a festering midden of vile purple waters. Rivers of lava churned from the mouth of Death Mountain, immersing half of Hyrule in the blood of the earth. The smoke from the eruption only added to the darkness enveloping the sky. The deserts on the horizon glistened like polished glass. Strangely the Lost Woods still stood, hopefully that meant the Deku Tree was protected somehow.

Link was sickened by the sight of it, how long had he been trapped in that barrier? To think that this abominable land was Hyrule, it looked like it had been shaped by a creature who had never even seen the divine goddesses. He let out a yelp as Sable abruptly flew down to a cluster of thickened treetops. Her claw released him into the canopy before flying upwards once more to divert the attention of swarms that had gathered behind her. With Link out of the way, Iris was safe to deal with the pursuers. The sky was alight with blazing columns of fire and jagged twisting icy winds as they led them away from where Link had been dropped.

The spongey mounds that made up the trees were easy enough to scale. Link made sure he was on the ground and hidden from the sky. Uneasily he surveyed his surroundings, with no weapon at his side, he had to be on the defensive or avoid monsters all together if he could. The mystery of why he was brought here was solved at the sound of heavy hooves slowly approaching. He turned to see a monstrous black stallion, riding the horse was an equally intimidating giant Gerudo. His huge form was wreathed in black and gold armour depicting the symbols of his tribe. Long orange hair was intricately tied back, held in place by an ominous iron halo.

Feeling the dread of déjà vu, Link said under his breath “Ganondorf…”

His eyebrow arched as Ganondorf was perplexed for a second. He circled his mount around Link, eyeing the young Hylian with curiosity “So, you’re some great hero apparently?” He let out an unimpressed sigh “That Veran is mad. I could snap you like a twig with one hand.”

“You’re working with Veran! How!?”

“So you know her? Good, she said your brain might be mush after leaving Bellum’s playground.”

Link backed away from him “But how is this possible!?”

Ganondorf coldly replied “Mutual agreement on what needs to be done.”

The earth began to rock uneasily, Link found himself swept up under Ganondorf’s arm as his steed charged through. He snapped back “You know I’m getting pretty sick of this happening with no context!”

The ground moaned in pain as something burst up from far below. It shook as it landed on the surface, chilling roars and snapping bones heralded the creature’s hunt.

“Do you suggest we sit down and have tea so your tiny brain can catch up!?” Ganondorf snarled at something he saw over his shoulder and billowing cape “If you want to stop, fine, I’ll drop you right now.”

Link twisted himself to look at whatever was pursuing them. His eye widened at the barking maws of a burrowing monster. Long talons ploughed through the earth like a hot knife through butter. Only a single gold eye was visible within the rows of sharp, rotating teeth of its various mouths. Its body was streamlined for digging, a lack of legs was compensated by an eruption of long shadowy tentacles. It snapped and scrambled hungrily towards them, easily capable of swallowing them all in one mouthful.

By then Ganondorf was working his magic as it engulfed them. With a burst of darkness, Link felt himself pull away from Ganondorf. The Gerudo was still charging ahead with a strange Poe like puppet under his arm instead of Link. He froze as he noticed the skeletal steed he was attached to. Nervously looking up to the ghastly face of the rider, Link realised Ganondorf had summoned his phantom to take him the rest of the way. The diversion appeared to work as well, the beast chased after the real Gerudo king rather than the replica. At the mercy of the phantom, Link noticed it was taking him to the only scrap of sanity within this chaotic land, the Lost Woods.

 

* * *

 

 

After riding further south with the beast tailing him, Ganondorf knew it was a safe place to release his phantom Link. The puppet eerily cackled to vanish into vapour. He then steered his horse to the west and dismounted with ease, menacingly landing on his feet to face Bellum’s minion. Any onlookers would be shocked as he did not draw his sword. He merely waited, slightly annoyed that the charging monstrosity was taking so long. When it finally reached him, he lunged towards it, his gauntlet hand curled into a fist, the power of darkness flow through him and was channelled into it. In one swift move, he had scaled the beast and leapt across the various rows of teeth of the largest mouth. His punch sent the creature reeling back as he jumped out onto solid ground safely.

Rather than give it a chance to rise again, Ganondorf shook off the golden mucous that remained of the eye within its mouth and charged again. In a matter of minutes, he had repeated the process with each of the monster’s head where it collapsed to the ground and melted away into nothing. He had learnt over the past few years of living in a Bellum controlled Hyrule that his minions could not exist if their link to their beloved demonic overlord was broken.

The sound of slow clapping made him turn to see Sable standing back from him. He frowned at her “Didn’t think to help now?”

She casually responded, flicking one of the tails of her jester hat over her shoulder “You seemed to be handling it, I didn’t want to get in the way.”

“And you’re here because?”

“Your horse got eaten by a giant fish that can swim in the ground apparently… or it’s finally turned the earth near the desert entrance to mush.”

“Great, that’s the fifth horse this year.”

“If only it were possible to train one of Bellum’s juggernauts to be your mount.”

“That ended poorly.”

“Anyway, want a lift back to the fort?” Sable gestured to the general direction of Arbiter’s Grounds “I’ve dropped Iris off already.”

“You know, I don’t want to know where that little fool is.” He wiped some of the monster’s entrails from his cuirass “We need to return to the fort, Nabooru and Ruto should have returned after their expedition to Zora’s Fountain.”

Sable laughed uneasily as the shadows enveloped her again and released to reveal her dragon form. They both vaulted into the sky and soared off to the west.

The desert resembled a snowy field from the sky. Raging battles over the sandy dunes had transformed the bulk of them to glass dust peppered with the remains of the fallen. Between the glass dust were small recesses of water, drawn to the surface by the changing environment from far below the earth. Bellum appeared to be obsessed with sending fire breathing and earth shattering abominations here which resulted in its radical transformation. It did work in their favour because by doing so, Bellum unwillingly released the only remaining sources of fresh water in Hyrule. The glittering sands shimmered from an unknown light overhead. The dunes passing bellow them like slumbering giants as they arrived as their stronghold, the Arbiter’s Grounds. Over the past few years the prison had been rebuilt and modified into a fortress, a place of sanctuary and protection from Bellum.

At first it was the Gerudo tribes who begrudgingly came to their banner, then followed the Gorons, the few Hylians who had fled Kakariko Village and the desperate Zoras who were seeking more water sources in the oases of the desert. Ganondorf took control of the prison, albeit it was strange he had no competition from Veran. The mysterious sorcerer seemed more preoccupied with the Twilight Mirror and weaving her spells. Instead she entrusted her three apprentices to his disposal on the condition that he would abide by any order she gave him. Rescuing Link from Castle Town was the only order she had given him.

Arbiter’s Grounds had been reinforced and rebuilt thanks to combined efforts from the Gerudo and Gorons. The Zoras worked with frantic speed to establish the well within the prison and the following irrigation and pipeline system. Miraculously, Bellum had not tainted the water that far below the ground. Ganondorf always found it amusing that a group of fish people could find water within a few weeks in the desert whereas the Hylians who occupied the prison struggled to have water delivered to them. He guessed some magic was in play as the initial scouting party was accompanied by Princess Ruto herself.

Sable went in for a landing on the roof of Arbiter’s Grounds. Ganondorf dismounted with ease, nodding his head at Veran who was tending to the mirror as usual. From the roof, he could see the rolling squads of Gorons out on patrol in the distance. He was perplexed by the lack of communication between these Gorons and their leader. Yet Ganondorf did not have time to worry as he descended the stairwell to the main hall. Ramshackle, shanty homes were constructed on varying levels of the prison. Everyone who lived within had to work or contribute to the rebellion’s efforts somehow.

Ganondorf passed various workers, sorting through supples brought in and dispersing them to the various craftsmen. On his way to the war chamber, an old Hylian woman passed him a bowl of stew. She averted her gaze and kept stirring her pot. Ganondorf said nothing as he continued onwards, but thankful for the meal. Over the past few years, people looked to him for leadership which only reaffirmed what he already knew. He pushed the heavy doors open to the main strategizing chamber. A heavy table lined with a map of the transformed Hyrule remained in the centre. All around were tomes and banners depicting old, forgotten magic and legends which were pillaged from across Hyrule. In the early days of Bellum’s rise to power, information and rebuilding was the focus of their efforts.

Currently standing over the map was a Gerudo woman with long hair tied into a high ponytail. Over her white clothes was an Iron Knuckle cuirass, gauntlets and faulds. Two giant scimitars rested on her back. Beside her was a Zora woman, her four eyes were focused on the page. Her body was decorated with elegant fins like lace however she could easily command the force of an ocean if challenged. They both noticed his presence, Ganondorf ordered “Report, now.”

“We cannot purify Hyrule’s water source until Lord Jabu Jabu is well… killed properly.” Ruto informed while adjusting her crystal earring “His undead state is the catalyst for poisoning the water that spills from Zora’s Fountain.”

Nabooru continued, seeing Ganondorf become agitated by being told what he already knew “Killing a technically dead god is no easy thing to do though, we need a source of holy purification equal to a god to achieve that. But Ruto may have a solution to that.”

Ruto smiled back “There is a spirit of light that watches over the Zora, although it had been millennia since we last called upon them. I speak of Lanayru, if we could summon her, we could destroy Lord Jabu Jabu and cleanse the water. But to do so, we need a wielder of light which we don’t appear to have in our magic arsenal.”

“Which is why I requested Ganondorf to claim such a person from Bellum’s clutches.” The three of them jumped as Veran materialised from the ether. She calmly continued, glaring at Ganondorf in particular “Link may not seem like much, but the divine light he wields will give us an advantage against Bellum.”

Ganondorf growled at her “Then why did you make me send him to the Lost Woods?”

Veran narrowed her eyes “To test him, to see if he is capable of wielding the power he holds. If he fails, we move onto the backup plan.”

Nabooru carefully asked “Lady Veran, how many plans have you made exactly?”

“As many as we need.” She answered in a cryptic way, almost purring at their perplexed faces. It was hard to tell whether Veran was actually taking the situation seriously or regarding it as an elaborate game of chess. Her skirt swirled behind her as she sauntered back out of the chamber as casually as she strode in, leaving the trio to further discuss the next step in their plans.


	24. The Sage of Forest

The phantom beast carried Link onwards through the murky darkness of the forest. The trees still bore some semblance to how they were before Bellum’s intervention. The desolate ruins of Kokiri Village and charred remains of the Great Deku Tree was enough to send him into a panic. Not only for the fear of his childhood friends but also of the fate of the forest. Without the Great Deku Tree, the forest should be dying and yet here it stood in defiance of the poison that had infested it. Link did not think his eye was deceiving him. Despite the darkness that permeated the natural order, these trees were still alive. Gold flecks of fairy dust grew denser in the air as the phantom grew weary. Finally it reached a ring of stone stairwells within a ruin, a part of the forest Link had never knew existed until now. The phantom let out a dying whisper as it returned to ether from whence it came leaving Link alone in the Lost Woods.

A song was carried on the wind, radiating from some kind of pipe. It called out like a clarion among the gentle breeze and rustling of the trees. It roused him, tempted him, to wander deeper into the natural chaos of the forest. He was far beyond the safe passages of Kokiri Woods. Now he was in the midst of the unknown, the cursed forests that turned all manner of mortal into beasts. With haste, Link carried on using the sound of the playful song as his guide. The entire time he felt like he was being watched, things were moving in the shadows with a rattle of wood and bones. The source of the music revealed itself, an imp was seated upon the tumbled ruins of an old fort. He was playing a trumpet that resembled a miniature version of the Deku Pipes. Link froze as wooden puppets adorned with leaves emerged from the shadows to dance to the tune.

A puppet raised its gnarled arm to a misty glade nearby. As the beat went on and the dancing intensified, the dense, suffocating fog lifted to unveil the Master Sword. The blade was still at rest, buried in its pedestal within the torn out remains of the Temple of Time. Feeling hope return to his heart, Link approached the pedestal as he had done before and drew the Master Sword from its resting place. In that instant the music stopped, the puppets creaked with curiosity.

“I told you I’d keep that sword safe.” The imp turned, for a second it threw Link but those eyes and that voice were unforgettable. Skull Kid smirked with his new face “I remembered who I am.”

Link smiled back “How does it feel?”

“Good, I’ve been able to keep this forest alive. Although, the Forest Temple is proving too dangerous, the Kokiri are serving the corrupted Sage of Forest.”

Link mentioned in a good natured way “Let me guess, you need me to go see what I can do while you keep the forest safe?”

“Exactly, I know Iris is nearby, you’ll probably cross paths in the sacred forest meadow.”

“Will I see you again or are you bound here forever?”

“Once Bellum’s conduit is gone from here, I’ll have some more freedom in my movements… look, I know I messed up in Termina, but I’m gonna make sure Hyrule is alright.” Skull Kid gestured to one of his puppet minions, the rattling creature bounded off into the distance. He looked to Link and said “Well, go on. We’re not going to hang out if you don’t hurry up.”

 

* * *

 

 

An uneasy feeling of serendipity loomed over Link when he emerged in the meadows before the Forest Temple. This had been where this whole disaster had begun, where that beast had claimed his eye. The desolate silence was near deafening, the rotten plants reduced to congealed slime carved the path before him. The verdant life of the forest had died to become the festering midden that plagued his sight now. The stench of the burning grass was nauseating. Curiously there were freshly burnt patches on the ground and dying embers. However the shriek of a Deku launched Link into action. The cry had emanated from the heart of the temple.

Fallen trees and overgrown vines allowed Link to quickly ascend to the entrance. Although he wished he did not have to be greeted by the sight within. The inside of the temple was alive and writhing with the rhythmic movement of breath. Plants bulged and pulsed, ensnared around captive Kokiri who appeared to be sleeping as the flora engulfed them. A sickly sheen glimmered in the dying light of the braziers as viscous sap oozed from gaping flowers. Another scream came from the main chamber, this time sounding like a Kokiri, followed by a blast of flame. Link fought down the disgust he felt and carefully traversed the chamber.

The heart of the temple’s corruption squatted in the centre of its sludgy pool in the grand chamber. Flames of red, blue, green and violet contorted shadow and light into menacing machinations that obscured the true horror of what the temple had become. The lower chambers were flooded by the sickly venom oozing from the skin of Bellum’s creation. The Sage of Forest, once a shining spirit of holy light, had been twisted into a visceral form. A giant spiked skeleton with organs messily dangling from its ancient bones sloppily crawled from the slime but never dared to leave it. Its lower body was lost to obscurity in the dungeons bellow. Blinking on its chest was Bellum’s gold and shadow wreathed eye. Bellum was outraged by the two who stood before him and challenged his will.

Saria kept a few paces back as she readied another sling shot of Deku Nuts. Since the first encounter with these monsters she had the wisdom to stockpile them. The blinding light appeared to be effective. Iris took the lead, her leafy mane was aflame as she channelled the wrath of a Dodongo. The Sage flinched at the sight of fire despite being covered in decomposing sludge, Iris advanced forward to ward it back but still frantically thinking of some way to hurt it. Saria released another shot, the nut pierced right into the Sage’s eye socket to make it howl in agony from the striking flash.

Iris shouted “We need something to pierce its eye!” her fiery mane cooled to then freeze over, she called upon the power of winter to conjure icy spikes. Like an archer, she fired her frozen shards into the monster. The ice diluted to water when it tried to hit Bellum’s eye.

“Let me try!” Saria stepped forward, careful not to slip on the rotting plants as she aimed. Another nut went flying only to stun Bellum’s eye but it sent the Sage into a panic. Wildly flailing its massive arms and wrecking the inner sanctum.

Before a piece of falling ceiling could crush them, Link had caught up and shoved them out of the way. For moment they waited for the bulk of the flailing to cease, it was far too dangerous to even approach the Sage. Link said to them “What’s the strategy?”

“Blind it, then stab it.” Iris winked at him “That shiny new blade looks ideal for the job.”

Saria felt a cold dread crawl down her spine “Wait, can anyone hear that?”

The ruckus had awoken the slumbering Kokiri from their cocoons. Although they were now slime covered remains of skeletal and organic matter. Saria even recognised some of them, they were the first to disappear from the village. They had been festering here so long that they could no longer return to who they were. Link nodded to Iris as he grabbed Saria by the hand. She could only look back as Iris’ fire mane burst to life and flames began to erupt around the small Deku witch.

Link’s voice brought her back to the task at hand “Saria, focus, we can grieve later!”

She felt the tears roll down her cheeks as she nodded and readied her sling shot “Right.” She took a deep breath, the world seemed to slow around her. The perfect shot lined up before her as she released the nut, in direct line with Bellum’s eye.

The flash blinded the golden eye for a moment, enough time for Link to follow through and impale it with the Master Sword. The corrupted Sage let out a dying screech as it dried out and cracked into ancient dust. Dark swirls of energy arose from its demise to envelop the blade of the Master Sword. The energy faded, leaving Link feel the legendary weapon had been defiled against the wishes of the Golden Goddesses. Now he could sense the familiar aura of the Oni, only faintly within the blade.

Saria finally broke down in tears as the remains of the infected Kokiri vanished into ashes. She found comfort in Iris and Link’s presence as they lingered close to her. Little did they realise that a melody was playing in the wind, Link lifted his head as he recognised the Song of Healing radiating through the temple. The song was herding the ashes into the festering sludge, oddly cleansing the taint of Bellum’s plague to return it to a more familiar sight of clear water and verdant plants. Saria and Iris noticed the sudden change too, by then Skull Kid had emerged in the temple, at the doorway of the main chamber.

Skull Kid lowered his pipe, seeing that the Giants’ melody had purged evil once again. He never knew it was capable of a feat like this. He was the first to speak to the awe struck trio “This part of the forest needs to be kept safe, if it’s to go back to being how it was.”

“How can we keep it safe?” Saria wept a little “Everyone from the village is gone, the Deku Tree is dead, there is no sapling to take its place.”

Skull Kid stepped aside and gestured to the doorway “They’re not all gone.”

Immediately, Saria raced up the stairs to where he stood. True to his word, Kokiri had survived and were now emerging amidst the freshly growing plants with bewilderment. This had all been a bad dream to them. She let out a cry of joy as she quickly ran to them.

Iris looked up to Link who seemed relieved at the news “She was lucky, I just stopped that Sage from eating her. Then again, it would’ve been a foolish move if you hadn’t of come along to play the strapping hero.”

He bowed his head to her “Thanks Iris, you bought me the time I needed.”

“What was with that spirit that went into your sword?”

“It’s something that must be done so I can forge the Helix Blade.”

“The Oni’s sword!? But… how… why… ARGH!” Iris began to freak out, wildly flailing her arms about as her thoughts couldn’t take shape as her voice.

Link placed his hands on her shoulders to calm her down “It’s alright, I need to do this so I can defeat Bellum. I need to find the other corrupted Sages. Any ideas where they are? There should be five more.”

Skull Kid interrupted as he cartwheeled closer to them “You should probably head to Death Mountain, get rid of that Sage and the sky will clear up.”

“Wait, Onox is missing there too… but now, maybe we have a chance.” Iris let out an excited squeal “You’re a user of light magic, right? It’s why you can use that magic sword thingy you got there. Perfect, you should be able to crack open that barrier.” She wrapped her arms around Link’s forearm and cheered “I’ll come with you too! It’ll be a piece of cake with both of us there.”

Skull Kid intervened before Link could voice his concerns “Look, I’ll keep an eye on the forest and the Kokiri until it’s safe to re-join you guys.”

“That sounds like a plan… uh…” Link nervously scratched at his jaw line “Would either of you happen to know anything about Hylia?”

Skull Kid shook his head “Nope.”

Iris informed “I think some of the rebellion are looking into her, they reckon she’s working for Bellum.” She noticed Link’s distress “Look, maybe that’s just a monster, one of Bellum’s tricks.”

Link sighed “Who looks exactly like Zelda…”

Skull Kid added “Come on, it’s not that bad. I’m sure your girlfriend is fine.”

“Are Link and Zelda?” Iris gestured to him, Skull Kid nodded back making Iris cheer.

Link tried to protest “We’re not-”

“Oh come on, you are. I saw you two back at the castle.” Skull Kid wiggled his finger at him “I did indeed. If Tatl and Tael were here, they’d say it too.”

“I’m not going to win this am I?”

Skull Kid smirked “Nope.” He stood before Link “It’s a relief to see you safe. Be careful out there while you save the world.”

With the agreement made, Link found himself trekking a dangerous path through the woods alongside Iris. The cleansed Forest Temple now showed the potential for the woodlands to recover and fight off Bellum’s disease. Yet he knew he had a long way to go before he could even face such a primordial being. One soul had been claimed, with a second soul Link would at least possess a weapon worthy of such a foe.


	25. The Sage of Fire

Link had drawn on his memories of the forest to reach the secret tunnel that led into Death Mountain. The narrow, dark and brittle cave should theoretically end in the lower caverns of the Goron City. A weak, gentle flame offered some light as it rested in Iris’ hand. As they advanced the scent of smoke grew stronger and the air was growing harder to breath for him. Eventually he tugged a cloth from his belt to wrap around his face. Iris appeared unaffected by the change only commenting “The air is full of ash, probably from the mountain. Last I heard, the city had fallen and the Goron leader has gone missing.”

Link blurted out “Darunia!? But how? He’s too powerful and would never just disappear. He cares about his people.”

“It seems his people feel the same way, some were able to leave and join Ganondorf’s army. But scouting parties of this area have confirmed that Darunia is not here. He’s been taken elsewhere.”

Link stopped in his tracks “You cannot be serious, **Ganondorf’s** army!?” He turned to Iris “Ganondorf is a monster, he’s the demon king! The embodiment of Ganon! He wants to steal the Triforce so he can conquer Hyrule.”

“Well, that makes things clearer now.” She answered nonchalantly “We had no idea how he could stand being around Onox when he’s in his dragon body. It radiates this demonic, shadow magic that chokes the life out of everything nearby.”

“So… under Bellum’s domination of Hyrule… survivors are flocking to Ganondorf!?”

“The Hylian royal family failed the people of this land, so of course they’re going to flock to the next most dominant leader.” Iris growled with frustration “Hyrule has changed, Link, and Ganondorf is the only one keeping a clear enough head to organise the surviving factions so that they can stand a chance against Bellum.”

Link furrowed his brow, repulsed by the very idea “But he’s evil.”

“Morality is overrated. He’s what the people need now and he’s doing a good job of leading them, so what’s your problem? Do you really think you could have escaped Hylia’s gilded prison without his help?”

He fell silent, knowing fully well that she was speaking the truth. It was still so hard to believe what he had seen since escaping. Link let out an exacerbated sigh, turning on his heels to continue walking forward, towards the Goron City with Iris in tow. Neither of them spoke a single word.

 

The city lay in a grand cavern deep beneath the mountain ranges of Hyrule. The pinnacle of which was Death Mountain, a mostly dormant volcano that was kept at bay by the Gorons. Hollowed out rock was carved into the stairs of giants to divide up the cavern into layers. At the bottom was the chamber leading to the Elder’s dwelling as well as the passage to the crater of Death Mountain where the Fire Temple nestled above a sea of magma. The city was deserted, the eerie silence was foreboding as they navigated the stairs of stone. Cracked walls and fallen Gorons littered the path ahead. Dust had settled over the dead city, it had been years since anyway had stepped here. Link did not see Darunia among the old carnage which was a hopeful sight.

Before entering the elder’s chamber, he took a detour to the nearby deserted store on the bottom layer of the city. Among the dishevelled stalls, he picked out a tunic of red cloth, the fabric felt heavy from the dodongo membranes woven with the fibre. Goron runes were sewn on the inner lining to enchant the wearer with heat resistance. He changed his tunic before returning to Iris was waiting for him. She led him into the elder’s chamber, the statue covering the secret passage had been tossed aside and shattered. A wall of thick ash and black fire barred entry.

Iris gestured to the Master Sword “Try cutting through it. Nothing else seems to work, but maybe that will.”

Link followed her logic, unsheathing his sword to then slice through the darkness. Much to his surprise it actually worked. He felt the blade cut through a thick membrane that made the smoke and flames collapse in on themselves. The path ahead was clear to enter.

Iris snapped her fingers to invoke her fire mane. She looked up to him and said “I know this is pretty weird for you, but Bellum is like nothing Hyrule has ever seen so... you can’t expect to beat him by sticking to the old rules.” She then gestured to the path ahead “Shall we?”

 

* * *

 

Blackness had engulfed them. The light of Iris’ fire mane was smothered by ash, she stuck to Link’s side as they attempted to feel their way along the crater. There seemed to be more terrain to walk on than the last time he came here. He could now climb lower into the maw of the mountain. The insufferable heat of lava had strangely diminished. With the power of the Goron tunic, boiling heat was translated to gentle warmth, but presently Link could feel no heat at all.

The answer to this mystery came when they finally descended to the bottom of the crater where the ash paled like dusty, grey snow. All the lava had solidified into a charcoal crust. The highest layers cracked slightly beneath his boots. Link noticed how Iris was far too light to even dent it as she skipped ahead. He could swear he heard a clucking echo in the desolate crater.

“Link! He’s here!” Iris called out.

He ran in the direction of her voice, noticing the cracks form but never breaking through to the magma beneath. Eventually he saw a figure imprisoned, their legs and arms were bound by the solidified magma. The remains of an Iron Knuckle’s armour was scratched and dented around him, revealing bare patches of tanned skin. The handle of a flail was caught, the chain had been swallowed by the volcano.

Link recognised the un-helmed face “Onox…” He saw the shadows overwhelming his eyes “What’s wrong with him?”

Iris shrugged, she gazed at his eyes closer to see she was staring into an abyss. She suggested “Looks like something is trying to invade his mind.”

“And given he’s a shape shifter, that’s a really bad thing?”

“Yeah…”

Link raised an eyebrow at her hesitant answer “What are you hiding?”

“Onox has… uh… a connection to a wild deity… a rather dangerous one.”

“So under no circumstances should anyone try to brainwash him.”

Iris gave him a thumbs up “Yep, you got it!”

He raised his hands to shrug back at her “What do we do?”

“Why not hit the charcoal with your sword?” She answered back to his unconvinced face “It’s worked on everything else so far.” The eerie silence of the crater then began to echo. Iris immediately went into a panic, tugging at her fiery quills “Oh no… I forgot about the thing that sage became.”

Link paused to listen more intently, the echoing was getting clearer to resemble a familiar clucking. “A cucco?”

“Come on, chop chop with the sword so we can get out of here befo-” Iris fell silent, eyes wide with terror as she shakily pointed behind Link.

He turned around to see nothing more than a cucco, a plucky little cucco skittering about on the hardened magma. It paused and looked at them, clucking and preening its white feathers.

Iris muttered in a frantic whisper “It saw us.”

There was something about its cold, dead eyes that shared the similar sense of oblivion that had come over Onox. In that instant, the deceptively adorable and harmless cucco radiated a dark, destructive aura. The avian demon clucked as it approached them in a skittering madness that circled around them like a bird of prey. Shadowy winds trailed from its wings, accelerating its running speed to unfathomable. Its talons were moving so quickly it was cutting cleanly through the charcoal crust that offered them stability. Iris let out a screech as she jumped up on Link’s back. Glowing lava spilled upwards and began to ooze out to surround them.

The cucco clucked to turn its head towards them at a horrific angle. Its neck was fully twisted like it was broken as it legs kept running forwards at an alarming speed. The beak opened wide to reveal one of Bellum’s golden eyes glaring back. The mere sight of Link made its pupil constrict, its rage erupted as the cucco ignited with golden flames.

Link spied a ridge of solid stone and attempted to reach it. He knew he couldn’t fight this fiend on such dangerous terrain. However as he tried to move, the cucco continued to slash the ground around him and bar his passage. Lava sprayed upwards making him roll back to a safer distance. The cucco was just too quick for him to block or even strike with his sword. Iris was of no help at that moment he could feel her frantically trying to cast an ice spell with one hand. The sudden chill was cancelled out by the volcano’s heat. He needed something capable of tearing through and destroying the cucco’s path.

It was then he noticed something peculiar about the imprisoned Onox. All over him were spectral cuccos plucking and pecking at him. Link drew the Master Sword which caught the attention of the ghostly poultry. He let out a war cry and waved it at them as he charged towards them. The cuccos clucked themselves into oblivion before releasing a final, ghastly crow. The darkness in Onox’s eyes cleared, for a moment he blinked trying to comprehend what had transpired since falling victim to the corrupted sage lurking in Death Mountain Crater.

He quickly grasped the fight at hand as Link tried avoiding the mutated cucco while Iris clung to his back. The monster was too quick to even be scratched by the sword. Yet Onox felt something different in the air from that blade, some primordial darkness was alive and well within it. He shook off his curiosity as he struggled against the solidified magma that held him in place. With a mighty stretch he shattered himself free, his muscles aches and his bones cracked from moving once again, to stand and face that abominable cucco. The handle of his flail was close, he waved to Link to move into position as the cucco was focused on him. As it approached, Onox grabbed the handle and pulled it with all his might.

The long chain of the flail ripped upwards to make the cucco stop dead in its tracks. The crescendo came from the spiked ball that tore a mighty hole and sent it flying through the air. In the air, this cucco was helpless, its tiny wings flapped in vain. Link was ready for this as he lunged forward and arced his sword upwards, cleanly cleaving the bird in two. Its scream sounded demonically human when it crumbled to ancient dust.

Link watched the hypnotising dance of shadow magic that rose from the ashes of the fallen sage. They swirled to engulf the Master Sword, beneath the cloak of darkness the blade divided and twisted on its own. When the magic wore off, Link no longer held the Master Sword. Instead it had been replaced by a claymore of blue and teal blades elegantly woven across each other.

“The Helix Blade…” He said aloud “The blade of the Fierce Deity.”

“The Oni’s sword,” Iris was stunned by the development “There are legends where it cut worlds asunder with that weapon.”

Onox had finished gathering up his flail, the spiked ball at the end of it looked big enough to crush a Goron’s skull. “So why do you have the weapon of a primal deity? …how much have I missed!?”

“We’ll fill you in when we get back to Arbiter’s Grounds. This is… really freaky and unsettling, Veran needs to see this.” Iris remarked as she climbed down from Link’s back and gestured at his new sword.

Onox queried as he noticed they were surrounded by ash and lava “Any ideas on how we get out of here?”

“She said she’d meet us here, she must be running late.” Iris gazed upwards to see the silhouette of a dragon flying dangerously close to the crater. “Guess Sable’s right on time.” She flicked her wrists to send up a glowing orb to attract its attention.

Sable descended in her dragon form allowing the trio to scramble on her back before she took off again with some difficulty. As she heaved them upwards, the shaking of the crater worsened. By pure luck, they managed to fly out of the vicinity of Death Mountain’s eruption.

Link paused in amazement as the diseased, foggy sky began to clear. With the corrupt sage removed from the mountain, the sickly mist that spewed forth was diminishing. The familiar clear blue sky was revealed once more.


	26. The Sage of Spirit

The sparkling dunes of the Gerudo Desert glistened in the moonlight. Link was surprised by how focused Iris and Onox were with gazing at the starry night. Shades of blue and grey splashed along the sky as dark, wisping clouds lazily drifted on the whims of the wind. He felt their descent, their destination appeared to be a monstrous fortress perched among the sea of sand. When they landed, Iris quickly took his hand and ushered him down the flight of stairs before he could even speak.

Onox waited behind for Sable to revert to her Terminan body in a dance of shadows. The wind howled through the remains of the temple that possibly stood atop the fortress. The Twilight Mirror sat upon its pedestal, still radiating an enigmatic power that Veran had struggled to decrypt.

Sable drank in the sight of a clear night sky, she had almost forgotten what it looked like. “How?” she uttered to no one particular “How does Link do this!? He’s accomplished more in a matter of days than we have collectively.”

“I see it now, why Veran wanted to help him.” Onox leant in close, his voice dropping to a whisper “He is the Oni.”

Sable refuted the idea “That makes no sense, how could he be the Oni!? He’s not even from Termina.”

“But, he has the Helix Blade… I think maybe he’s at least connected to the Oni, like I’m connected to Horonox.”

Sable let out an exacerbated sigh and threw her arms up in defeat. Regardless of how ridiculous it seemed, perhaps there was some merit to the observation. She then quickly muttered “I’m glad you’re safe by the way.”

“Me too, I was getting so annoyed by that annoying pecking, always trying to make me crack so it could get control of the Dark Dragon.” Onox smirked back to her “Lucky I had a good sparring partner for my mental fortitude.”

Sable smirked back, punching him in the shoulder gently as she noticed the oozing wounds and open cuts across his bare skin. They began to descend to the main hall to observe what Link’s appearance had ignited. They paused at the sound of thunder in the distance. Quickly checking the sky to see it was clear, Sable and Onox ran over to the railing to check the horizon. A dust storm engulfed the skyline to the north and it appeared to be encroaching upon the Arbiter’s Grounds.

She remarked with a furrowed brow “That’s not natural…”

“Bellum’s lost two of his minions, the forests and sky have been cleansed so of course his surviving monsters are panicking.” Onox muttered to himself “Weren’t there rumours about the Spirit Sage hiding out to the north of here?”

“Yeah, but the exact location could never be pinned down… well, we know how to fight it, it’s just a matter of incapacitating it before it flees.”

“Then we need to get out there.”

Sable slapped one of the gashes on his head, he let out a yelp and looked to her disgruntled face as she remarked “You’re not going anywhere like this.” She then grabbed him by the arm and led him downstairs “Come on, let’s see what this reincarnation of the Oni is made of.”

Onox whined “But I want to go fight something.”

“Nope, you’re injured, let’s get you to the medics.” Sable smirked at hearing him whine like a child. “I’ll get Tatl and Tael to collect Link. That sage needs a swift death otherwise we’ll lose it again.” She dragged him through Arbiter’s Grounds to the western courtyard where the majority of the healers and apothecaries had taken residence.

 

* * *

 

 

Link felt so small in that strategy scheming chamber. Everything was massive to accommodate the wealth of knowledge the rebellion had collated. Tomes stacked so high they were practically a forest. Maps that would make cartographers dizzy with the amount of amendments and scribbles defacing them. The giant desk was centre amidst the chaos, the only relatively clean surface as it had the most recent map of Hyrule stretched across it like the skin of a drum. While Iris remained by his side, opposite Link were some familiar faces to him like Nabooru and Ruto, although with the rewinding of time he had never technically met either of them prior to this moment. Veran was lurking in the shadows of the room, poised like a cat with a smile on her face from the sight of the sheathed Helix Blade. Ganondorf was directly opposite him with a stoic expression.

Nabooru looked him up and down, eyebrow was raised as she half-heartedly stated “This kid’s the one who can wield light magic?”

Ruto bluntly stated “He doesn’t seem like much. I mean, he’s missing one eye.”

“Don’t worry, he’s still capable of fighting. Since we broke him out of the prison the corrupt Light Sage built he’s killed off the Forest and Fire Sages.” Iris proudly informed, she gestured to him “Link, why don’t you show off your new sword?”

“If it’ll help.” Link unsheathed the Helix Blade hesitantly, the auras it radiated made him anxious. It was so similar to the powers that permeated Majora’s dungeons in the moon. The unsettling feeling arose when Link realised this sword could possibly distort reality beyond logic.

Ganondorf sighed to himself “A fancy sword doesn’t prove anything. Can you use it?”

The doors burst open at the force of Tatl and Tael, the two fairies circled wildly around the room and sent papers flying. Tael hovered before his face “Link! It’s great to see you but you need to come with us! Right now!”

Tatl bumped into his forehead “Come on, the Spirit Sage is on the warpath and we need to kill it pronto. You have to meet Sable on the roof top immediately.”

Link could not protest as the two fairies kept bumping into him, shepherding him out of the chamber.

Ruto stood from her seat and looked to Iris “A sandstorm must be on the way, we must find Kotake and fortify an aqueous barrier to keep us safe.” The Zora and Deku took their leave, heading deep into the dungeon city to find the Gerudo witch.

“Nabooru, prepare the troops and ready them at the gates of the city. You never know what kind of monsters Bellum’s going to throw at us.” Ganondorf nodded to his second in command, then turned to Veran “Anything about the mirror that could help us?”

“Hard to say.” Veran smirked coyly “Why don’t we take a look?”

Nabooru sternly informed “But we know what this one is, it hides in sandstorms and disappears into the dunes every time we attempt to shoot it down.”

Her information fell on deaf ears and Ganondorf seemed more preoccupied with attempting wield that mirror again. Veran leant over to her and said “Why not take the initiative then?”

Nabooru held her tongue, even after all this time that blue skinned woman gave her pause. Keeping her inner disgust down, she had received her orders and went off to follow them through. She marched into the city to gather what troops were able to fight. Suddenly, an idea came to her, although if it was going to work she needed to find Iris because there was no way Kotake would ever agree to such a scheme.

 

* * *

 

 

The sandstorm was brewing, wavering and attempting rise like a goliath from the dunes. It crumbled beneath its weight and swirled through the desert as it kept attempting to take shape. Judging by the distance it would be upon the Arbiter’s Grounds in a matter of moments. Sable kept a watchful eye, trying to pinpoint where the Sage was hiding within the winds. There wouldn’t be many opportunities to strike in these conditions. If Link’s Helix Blade was genuine, then it should be enough to strike down the Sage in a single hit and calm the sands.

The sound of running up the stairs heralded Link’s arrival. Sable didn’t have to say anything to him as he immediately took note of the sandstorm looming closer. Tatl and Tael bumped a wad of cloth into Link’s hands, he unfurled the bandana and tied it around his face to offer some protection from the sand. Sable tilted her head at him, enveloped in shadows and became Argorok once again. She lowered one of her wings, an invitation to fly with her. Not needing any further explanation, Link climbed aboard the dragon as she took off into the sky. She soared into the heart of the sand storm without fear. As they did so, the spells of the various hydromancers within came into effect and enveloped the Arbiter’s Grounds in a watery shield. There was no turning back now.

Winds howled and spewed sand forwards in a thick haze. Link found his senses overwhelmed and could only cling to the dragon he rode. Still he persevered and kept a keen eye on the distance. Sable however was at an advantage, the senses of Argorok’s form permitted her to see through the screaming sands. Among the wild torrents of dust was lone figure. She had seen such beasts in the ocean, giant manta rays with large wings that allowed them to soar through the seas. This abomination was roughly shaped as one such creature but was sleek and shaped by ragged carapaces as it cut through the air and sliced the sandstorm into chaos. Tubes trailed behind it, emitting a hazy gas that gave the sandstorm its dense, cloudy nature.

The corrupt Sage of Spirit noticed the dragon’s approach. Immediately it darted through the sky erratically, attempting to slice the membranes of its wings with a sharpened blade. Sable dodged it at the last second, this creature was too quick to take down while it flew. Although she managed to damage it, by grabbing one of the trailing tubes as it soared past. The tube gasped and wheezed to finally release a smoke tainted black. Seeing this development, Link armed the Helix Blade and waited for the sage to try passing them again.

He poised the blade before him, like he was drawing an arrow in a bow. One hand on the handle, the other rested beneath the fold of metals that made the helix shape of the blade. The azure and cerulean metal gleamed as he recounted his memories and drew upon the power dormant within. The blade shone with an ethereal light, releasing a curving beam into the air that twisted and contorted after the Sage. In a frantic panic the sage glided and attempted to dodge the magical energy yet to no avail. It finally collided with it in a spectacular explosion of lights, quelling the sandstorm in one swoop and sending the Sage crashing to the earth bellow.

The Sage flailed wildly to attempt to dig into the sand and disappear into obscurity. It found its path obstructed as its wings and the sand it attempted to claw at froze over. Violently struggling against the encroaching frost, it flipped up its underside to reveal Bellum’s eye. It watched as a Deku witch dragged a long chain behind her. Holding onto the chain was a Gerudo maiden, riding a shield to surf along the dunes with ease. Her scimitar was glowing with the force of winter as she unleashed spires and talons of ice, refusing to let the Sage escape. The final sight it witnessed was that of the one-eyed Hylian leaping from the dragon’s back to bury his sword into its eye.

Iris came to an abrupt halt, nearly falling off her broom in the process, while Nabooru released the chain and leapt in the air to allow the shield to slide out from beneath her. They marvelled at the sight of the Sage crumbling into ashes, releasing a strange mist of darkness and light into the air. The wisps danced around Link to bind his torso and within a flash it was over. Over his usual green tunic now sat the beginning of plate armour with a fine cuirass. It bore the symbols of a gold triangle and a crescent moon, the metal it was forged with resembled the abyss of night.

Link nervously sheathed his sword as he looked at the beginning of the armour he was to assemble. It was similar to what he donned when he assumed the Mask of the Fierce Deity, although it was simple at the moment and not as intricately carved. He wondered if he was even able to remove it from his person. He then realised the shocked faces of Nabooru and Iris, sheepishly tapping on the cuirass he said “Every Sage I defeat… I get something from their corpses… I don’t know how.”

Nabooru muttered to herself a little, clearing her throat to announce “I will have to report this to Ganondorf.”

Iris perked up “Looks like you’re half way there.”

Link bowed his head to them “Thanks for coming out, I had no idea anyone followed us.”

“Well, Nabooru had a good idea of how to stop the Sage fleeing.”

The Gerudo shook her head “I still can’t believe it worked.”

Sable then descended shakily, only then did Link see that there was a cut in one of the membranes of her wing. The injury showed in her Terminan form as well as a large gash along her arm. It was deep, oozing with blood as she attempted to cover it with her hands. Nabooru pulled off one of the sashes around her waist and proceeded to tie it tightly around Sable’s arm. They all then began the amble back to the Arbiter’s Grounds.


	27. Facing the truth

For the first time in years, the town within Arbiter’s Grounds was alive with jubilation. The death of the Sage of Spirit meant the desert was now safer to traverse than before and Bellum’s means of watching the rebellion was now blind. Various townsfolk flocked to the roof top to catch a glimpse of the clear night sky and revel in the small victory they had been blessed with. Everything they believed in was coming to fruition. While the city celebrated in their ways, of song, dance and merriment, Nabooru found herself in Ganondorf’s chambers. She stood defiantly before him as he looked down at her with disdain. She had just given her report of the fight in the desert.

“Once rebellious, always rebellious.” He remarked coldly, never quite letting go that she was the one to ignite the mutiny of the Gerudo tribe against him all those years ago.

She answered confidently, her voice never quaked, her stance never shrank, “I had a plan and it worked, Iris and I were able to keep that monster from fleeing so that kid… Link? Yeah, that’s his name, so Link could finish it off.”

“But is this a warning of things to come?”

“No, so long as you’ve got your head in the right place.” Nabooru looked him in straight in the eyes, an action very few dared to do, “Do you see how just being a leader and thinking of your people is better than chasing after another kingdom’s fortune?”

Ganondorf furrowed his brow, Nabooru was one of his oldest friends and most trusted commander. She had always been honest with him and that was what drove them apart to begin with. He bluntly informed “I did that so the Gerudo can live in prosperity instead of being thieves.”

“Maybe to begin with, but your obsession with that Triforce made you insane.”

“It’s just… It was like a part of me awoke when I read about it. That relic is so… familiar but I don’t know why. All I knew was that I had to possess it, I was its true owner.”

Nabooru smiled, trying to lighten his depressed demeanour and make him cease worrying. “Still having those dreams, huh?”

He coldly informed “They never stopped.”

“But it was lucky **you** were stopped and also, you know, had your execution stalled by this Bellum monster, otherwise you wouldn’t be the man you are now.” She turned on her heels to take her leave “It’s good to have you back to your old self, Ganondorf.”

Ganondorf watched her leave his chamber to join in with the festivities. Not feeling overly joyous, he returned to his work with a new plan in mind. Now that Link was on their side and proving to be a worthy ally, perhaps the formerly impenetrable labyrinth beneath the ruins of Kakariko Village could be traversed and the waters could finally be cleansed from Zora’s Doman. He reflected on Nabooru’s words to find she was right. Since this debacle with Bellum began, he hadn’t thought once of the Triforce or the Hylian royal family. The strange enthrallment of rage, loathing, disgust and envy that drove him to desire the Triforce in the first place had dissipated. It was commanding, almost hypnotising like something or someone had possessed him. He always thought the power of the Triforce was enticing but the transformations to his mind the more he pursued it was frightening. To ignore his concerns, he buried himself in planning the rebellion’s next move against Bellum.

 

* * *

 

The spectacle of drinking in the streets and general merriment was a welcome sight to Sable when she left the infirmary. Her arm was bandaged and relatively alright, she cursed herself for forgetting her gauntlets and vambraces earlier. Fused shadow was easy enough to heal with the spells Veran had taught her. Flesh on the other hand took its time to knit back together. However it was hard to focus on her own foolishness when there was so much dancing, cheering and crude singing along the lively music that permeated the halls of the Arbiter’s Grounds. Sable meandered back to the small apartment that she shared with Iris and Onox. The entire building was hastily constructed as it slumped over numerous platforms in the former dungeon.

The apartment was small, only one room to accommodate their sleeping, apothecary and spell weaving needs. The window was smashed into a larger doorway by Onox so they could have a makeshift balcony overlooking the main street. Upon her return, Sable found them outside watching the celebrations in the street. Iris poured herself and Onox another round of drinks while Onox continued eating stew from a large bowl. A plate of roasted meat was between them, obviously hadn’t been there long as there were still large pieces to grab. A third tankard was next to the keg beside Iris. Sable took a leg of the roasted mystery meat and sat behind them, she knew better than to ask where it came from. Iris waved to her and moved to the side so she could see beyond them. Onox nodded briefly, continuing to eat. Even though he had been captured for a few weeks, nothing seemed to have changed between their living arrangements.

“This is still crazy,” Iris shook her head “Link randomly shows up and everything is falling into place, just as Veran said it would.”

Sable remarked “Yeah, still not overly convinced that Link should have the Helix Blade.”

Onox shrugged “How come? He seems like a competent swordsman.”

“No doubt about that, but would you really entrust a sword that cut through reality and alters the nature of space and time with an idiot who blindly follows orders?”

Iris clicked her fingers and nodded “I did notice that, he’s always following instructions no matter how vague they are. It’s weird, like he’s always in waiting for someone to give him orders.”

“And easy to manipulate, no wonder he’s the Hero of Time those Ikanans blather about.”

“You reckon he’s going to do something stupid?” Onox queried, unsure if he could fight back against someone wielding the Helix Blade. “And since when did you know what Ikanans think?”

“I may have snuck around the valley a few times, just to see the faces of the people who vilified the Gomess.” Sable waved her hand dismissively “But that’s not the point here.”

“I get what you mean, Link could potentially be a problem if he followed the wrong instructions… well, Bellum already kinda did that to him with that Hylia thing.” Iris nodded to herself “However so long as he’s getting directions from Veran, it’ll be fine. Bellum will be defeated, Skull Kid will stop being such a loner and we can all go home, back to Termina.”

Onox and Sable nodded with a slight smile, the three of them had been trapped in Hyrule by Bellum’s actions. Their desire to return to their homeland had driven them to become leading members of the rebellion and quickly allowed them to join Ganondorf’s inner circle. Although they felt perplexed by Link’s brief appearance overshadowing every act the rebellion had achieved thus far, they had to focus on the possibility that they could return to Termina soon.

“But… maybe you’re jealous of Link,” Onox warily suggested, averting his gaze to ignore Sable’s glare “He gets to play with a powerful artefact, yet Veran took that Fused Shadow mask you’d been working on for years because she deemed it too dangerous.”

She growled to herself and seethed “Archmage Midna’s helm… don’t remind me. I mean that sword could plunge the very nature of reality and everyone in it to oblivion, yet I can’t experiment with a mask that only affects me. Yeah, Veran, just give the power of a primal deity to a random guy that doesn’t understand anything about the Twilight Realm.” Sable was stopped as Iris tossed jug of water at her, she spat out a mouthful of water and nodded to the Deku “Thanks for cooling me off, but I’m still angry about that.”

Onox smiled back at her, trying to offer some comfort he said “We know, it’s perfectly normal to be angry. I sure as hell would be.”

Iris reassured “It’s just a matter of putting that anger to good use. Going after Link, not such a good idea right now, we need him so we can go home.”

Sable looked between her friends and knew they were right; collectively the trio always knew what to say to each other. They always knew how to stabilise each other’s abilities. She smiled as she grabbed a tankard for herself and drank with them while they watched the street.

 

* * *

 

 

The corrupt Mirror of Twilight was an enigma that mocked her. Veran stood before the artefact in question, ignoring the meandering bystanders who were enjoying the clear night sky. Fortunately they all knew to stay away from the mirror unless they wanted the wrath of Ganondorf upon them. Veran was impressed that a Gerudo warlock of Hyrule could taint such a well-crafted artefact of the Twilight Realm. The frame itself was the only Fused Shadow native to Hyrule and she hypothesised the reflective glass was made from the cold blood of a Primal Deity. She could not ascertain which one it had belonged to as each deity she knew off had blood that could create such a potent magical catalyst. Originally it was a doorway, one that Veran wanted to remain closed since Zant’s ghost began appearing at random. She could not being herself to trust the deranged shreds of what remained of the former Gomess Archmage.

Among the chaos, Link eventually found himself on the rooftop. He wasn’t sure how anyone navigated this fortress as the shanty town within seemed to defy all conventions of a normal town. Random doors and windows, streets that made no sense, narrow alleyways that either led nowhere or were broken to pass through someone’s home to your destination. When something old crumbled or outlived its purpose it was merely, crudely adapted to suit the current needs of the rebellion. Link was befuddled by the chaotic mesh of Zora, Goron, Hylian and Gerudo aesthetics. The Triforce and all mention of the goddesses had been downplayed until it seemed to be just a footnote in embellishments instead of the focus. In Hyrule these cultures were usually so clearly defined and barricaded from one another. Even though he had seen such a mix before throughout his journeys, he wasn’t at ease of seeing it in his homeland. Link found himself growing concerned, once Bellum was defeated, how could Hyrule recover from a change like this?

His spell of melancholy subconsciously brought him to Veran’s side as she gazed at the broken mirror. Without turning to face him, she commented “You’ve done well so far, little lapdog.”

Link protested “Stop calling me that.”

“Just reminding you of the bigger picture. You don’t **have** to be the little lapdog. Those Golden Goddesses don’t know how to use you.”

“I’m the Hero of Time, pretty sure fate has always guided me to be where I need to be.”

“That’s it, you are the Hero of Time, there have been many like you through the ages. Reincarnated over and over again… and it saddens me that, you, this version of you… will always be punished by the Golden Goddesses.” Veran turned to him solemnly “No matter what you accomplish, it will always be undone. Your actions will never be acknowledged like the previous heroes. You will be forgotten and lost to the ages.”

Link froze, he looked at her and saw the certainty in her eyes. He nervously asked “Why do you care and how do you know this to be true?”

“I am the Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm… and when you’ve lived as long as I have you learn how to read the weave of fate, even when it splits into three.” She paused, mustering the courage to admit the next truth “I am also the eyes of the Oni. I keep it informed of the mortal coil… and you are so much more than the pitiful title of the Hero of Time.”

Link eyed her curiously, arms folding over his chest to in a display of fortitude although it betrayed the concerns rising to mind. He had heard Onox and Iris speak of it, but it sounded so outrageous.

“You are the mortal incarnation of the Oni. It’s why you’re so powerful, it’s why you could even travel to Termina, it’s why you could don masks and change shape even though you aren’t a Gomess… it is why you could defy the truths of space and time to completely shatter Hyrule’s future into alternate realities. This life you lead now is one that happens because Ganondorf never claimed the Triforce!”

Link slowly shook his head “No, this is too much. The Triforce is the only thing that keeps me safe and gives me the courage to face the threats to Hyrule.”

“The Triforce is a curse upon you and whoever else has to carry its pieces. You will never be free of the whims of the Golden Goddesses. You will never break away from the role of the Hero of Time and will just be tossed about, fighting foes when you don’t even understand why.” Veran breathed out, dissipating the rage that had slowly built in her voice “Because of the Triforce, you, and whoever holds the pieces of wisdom and power will never break free of this cycle.”

“You’re… wrong? Surely…” It hurt, like a knife twisting in his heart, he turned away to hide the fact that he was on the verge of tears “I… I need to go… alright. Don’t ever speak to me of this again.”

Veran watched him disappear into the crowds of people. She remained on the rooftop and felt guilty of revealing such a horrific, unfair truth about who he was. She knew she should’ve just kept quiet and let Link know the bare minimum. She couldn’t bring herself to do that. Link was a courageous, strong and selfless person, if he was a complete fool she’d have no qualms about lying, yet she couldn’t stand to lie to him. She hoped her words rang true with him, she didn’t want such a person to be treated so cruelly by the deities he trusted.

A thud from within the corrupt mirror distracted her, she looked in to see Zant in the reflection, banging on it like it was a mere window. His voice only spoke to her “I found Midna’s helm.”

Veran’s eyes widened with horror, before she could react Zant had disappeared.


	28. The Sage of Water

Blissful slumber was disrupted by a sharp kick to his side. Link was roughly jolted awake in the small room he had been given to rest in. The bare room only had enough space for a bed which was all Link wanted at the time. It was enough to place his few belongings and strip down to just a tunic and trousers to rest. After his encounter with Veran, he was spending the rest of the night attempting to forget what she had told him. His head felt muddled and his vision went from blurry to clear when he found Nabooru standing over him. She was in her plate armour and ready to go with her scimitars on her back. She smirked at him “You are one heavy sleeper,” She gestured to the doorway “Anyway, we got orders from Ganondorf to head to Zora’s domain.”

“From Ganondorf?” Link felt those words were foul in his mouth. It felt so wrong to be cooperating with him.

Nabooru stated as a very matter of fact “Yeah, he reckoned you, me, Ruto and Sable can handle the Sage of Water while he, Onox and Iris get started on breaking a path through the remains of Kakariko village.”

Sleep still hindered the functioning of his brain, Link reached behind him to grab his hat that hung on the bedhead “Breaking a path?”

“Yeah, those rumours about the Shiekah having a labyrinth of shadowy madness beneath that village… completely true.” Nabooru casually shrugged “Bellum unearthed parts of it making the way down to the Sage of Shadow… difficult.” She then wrapped up a parchment she was carrying and swatted Link’s head “Now up and at ‘em, we got a long road ahead of us. The clear sky makes flying not an option anymore. Too easy to target us.”

“How will we get there?” Link woozily swang his legs around the side of the bed.

“With horses, well, we’ll be using horses, I don’t know what Sable has. With her being a shape shifted and all who knows what she’ll turn in to? We’ll be meeting at the main gate in half an hour.” Nabooru left him to get ready for the journey ahead.

As Link collected his few belongings he could’ve sworn he heard Ruto cursing under her breath from outside. Something about Ganondorf finding out about some ancient, secret Zora ritual. He gave it no more thought as he headed out of the room to ready himself for the journey ahead. He was glad to put space between him and Veran.

 

The main gate rattled with the barren winds from the desert, the tunnel itself was one of the coolest places in the Arbiter’s Grounds. Ruto stood, enjoying the wind on her face, feeling her fins weightlessly ride the breeze. Four Gorons were on sentry duty near the gate and keeping a vigilant eye on the ruin littered horizon. She heard the crunch of sand and pebbles, heralding Sable’s approach. The jester nodded to her, although the cauterised burns on her arm drew Ruto’s concerns “Are you sure you should be travelling like that?”

Sable lifted her arm, getting a closer look at the burnt skin “Yeah, Iris sealed it up for me. It’ll be fine.” She then rolled her eyes “Come on, I’m the only other person in this group that can breathe underwater.”

Ruto scoffed “Not really.”

“But I can turn into something that can, if you somehow purify the waters and have to go for a swim, you need someone to watch your back. There’s no telling what Bellum hid down there.”

“I see your point, very well made,” Ruto leered “Bodyguard, and by the way, I will purify the waters.” She relished the growl Sable emitted and her pout. She then proceeded to cover herself in a series of damp robes and cloaks to protect her from the desert climate.

“Come on you two, we need to get moving.” Nabooru remarked as she passed them to enter the ruined courtyards.

As Link passed them, Sable noticed something peculiar about him. His demeanour looked like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. His appearance had changed slightly as well, his eye was a little paler, his blonde hair had a silver sheen and along with his new cuirass, his tunic was starting to become contaminated by a light blue tinge. She also noticed how he had abandoned his shield, only carrying the sheathed Helix Blade on his back.

While the others mounted their horses, Sable decided to keep her observations to herself for now. Her body engulfed in shadows again as she transformed into the flame wreathed, bipedal dodongo native to Termina, the Fire Salamander. She could easily skitter across the sands in this form, clearing the way of any dangers that may hinder their journey. In her monstrous reptilian form she nodded to Nabooru who gestured the direction they were travelling in. In that instant, Sable was running, curling up into a ball in the process to roll along the dunes like a Goron. Nabooru then commanded Ruto and Link to follow her into the unknown.

 

* * *

 

 

Zora’s Domain was no longer the cool, tranquil waterfall grotto of Link’s memories. Over the past few days, he calmly followed after his three companions to make it to the shattered remains of the rivers. The jagged earth spiked up like the maws of a beast, the little water left exuded from the cracks as viscous ooze of violet and green. Leaving the horses in a dent in the cliffs, they proceeded on foot to the dried up waterfall leading to the inner grotto that the Zoras called home. Ruto felt woozy, swaying a little as the stench of rotting fish overwhelmed her. Link caught her before she lost balance, giving her a reassuring look as he helped her follow after Nabooru and Sable.

The ceiling was dripping with egg filled slime. It oozed over down the walls at a snail’s pace while the eggs writhed overhead. The water had stopped flowing allowing it to stagnate into the festering midden of decaying bodies. A quick glimpse gave Link shivers at the sight of Zora remains decomposing in the sludge. He nervously asked Ruto “How many have died in your kingdom?”

She whimpered a little “Too many… the only remaining Zoras are the ones who made it to the Arbiter’s Grounds.”

“How did this happen?” Link felt the magnitude of the situation, while the Kokiri were mostly saved and protected by Skull Kid. The Gorons and Zoras had lost their kingdoms to Bellum.

They rounded the stone pathways upwards to the former throne room. Ruto recounted for him “Lord Jabu Jabu fell ill, no matter what we tried, he never got better. He only rotted away into nothing. The water that flowed from the fountain became contaminated and as his condition worsened, the entirety of Hyrule’s waters from the fountain was poisoned.”

As they made their way to the throne room Link noticed the wooden walkways built over the toxic waters to allow passage to the inner sanctum. Ruto continued, walking the wooden paths with precise and practiced steps “I was sent by my father to locate clean water while he tried to solve the riddle of the poison. That’s what brought me to the desert, there was still a lot of ground water that hadn’t been tapped into or compromised… that’s when we encountered Ganondorf and agreed to cooperate with him. By the time we built the irrigation systems, we received word from the last survivors that managed to escape the domain. A second monster had emerged from the Water Temple and took control of Lake Hylia and Zora’s Domain.”

“I’m sorry.” Link was at a loss of what else he could say to her.

They finally arrived at the remains of Zora’s Fountain. The ancient altar was before the deepest pool in all of Hyrule. A circle of mountains sheltered it from the rest of the world. The stench was worst here, the waters themselves were so murky that Link couldn’t see anything through them. Only the opaque wisps of green and violent engulfed his sight. Nabooru and Sable were already at the stairs of the altar. The large platform had a dent to allow the ancient megalodon, revered as their deity Lord Jabu Jabu, to get closer to its worshippers and hear their pleas.

“The monster in question is the corrupt Water Sage. It has formed a hive mind with Lord Jabu Jabu and uses the domain to lay its eggs so it can feed. They never seem to hatch so I don’t think those eggs were meant to sustain life… I don’t have… I don’t know if I can fight it…” Ruto confessed before finally breaking into silent tears. She fell silent, pulling her hood over her face to mop up the tears.

Link gazed over to Nabooru for answers as Sable had wandered up the stairs to get a better look at the area. Nabooru sighed to herself, wondering why Link was probing such painful memories for the Zora princess, she explained as best she could “This sage came from the temple that housed an ancient parasite… now the sage and the parasite have become one. It’s a giant amoeba that builds a body from whatever it finds in the water.”

“Meaning it’s built from the bodies of the Zoras?”

Nabooru solemnly nodded in return, she went to Ruto’s side and gently asked “Are you ready to put Lord Jabu Jabu to rest?”

Ruto nodded back “He has suffered for too long, I must give him peace for the sake of my people.”

“You and Link can handle the ceremony,” Sable informed upon her return to them “It appears as though the Sage is not here yet. Now’s your chance.”

“If the Sage does appear, we’ll hold it back until you two are completed with the ritual.” Nabooru gestured to the altar “If it is too dangerous, we retreat, we’ll fight the Sage another day. We don’t need any unnecessary casualties. Understood?” She heard the trio respond affirmatively “Then let’s get to work.”

Soon enough Nabooru and Sable walked to the back of the altar and waited on the walkways. If the Sage were to emerge they would break through the grotto in the domain. Link and Ruto approached the edge of the altar. He hesitated as Ruto casually shucked the robes she had donned to protect her scales. She looked back to him, her usual regal elegance had returned after purging herself of tears.

“Sable mentioned that your blade could radiate light so please direct that power towards me as I call upon Lanayru.” Ruto gestured to him “That’s all I need you to do, I can handle the rest.” She procured a golden scale from one of the fins on her arms “Only those of the royal blood can produce a scale like this. It is a key component of this ritual. No matter what happens, do not attack Lord Jabu Jabu and let me finish what I’ve started.”

Link understood her commands, he stepped back to give her space for the ritual to proceed. As instructed, he unsheathed the Helix Blade, he remained stalwart as he held it with the blade’s tip touching the ground. He felt that primal soul within the metal, calling to him like a sentient being. Little by little, light began to seep from the blade like the flow of water, cascading through the patterns of cobbles upon the altar that herded it towards Ruto.

The Zora princess called upon the spirits of her ancestors as she chanted in a long, forgotten language. She began to levitate, stars of blue circled her like rain droplets as she moved her arms in elaborate gestures. The light flowing from the Helix Blade followed her command, crawling upon the altar to form an elaborate arcane rune circle that grew and emanated to engulf the platform. The light vanished into the murky waters. Although Link was amazed to see it seeping upwards from beneath the waterline in the distance to creep up the mountains. He heard an inhuman screech from deep within the grottos which drew Sable and Nabooru down the walkways and into Zora’s Domain.

The intrusion was not lost on Lord Jabu Jabu, the decrepit corpse of the deity wildly flailed in the deeper parts of the fountain. Sensing the source of the intrusion emanated form the altar, he thrashed across the waters towards Ruto. Link paused, he was order not to stop the ritual, Ruto was too involved with creating an orb of golden light in her hands where her scale was at its centre. He thought they were going to vanish into the gaping maw of Lord Jabu Jabu. However, the orb in Ruto’s hands was actually an egg that cracked its shell at the last moment to release the spirit she was conjuring. A mighty sea snake wreathed in shimmering light wrestled the undead Lord Jabu Jabu into the water. With the ritual complete, Ruto leapt back and felt Link catch her. They both watched the ancient titans struggle in the fountain that now pulsed with primordial magic.

The waters then glowed with flashes of turquoise, azure and cerulean light lined with silvers and gold. The cloudy poisons were being leeched out and washed away as the clear waters overpowered them. Lord Jabu Jabu never returned to the surface. Instead the mighty serpent of light emerged with a shining orb in its mouth. Its body coiled and spiralled throughout the waters of the fountain. It looked to Ruto who stepped away from Link and bowed. Noticing he was not following her lead, she hit him upside the head and ordered “Bow you idiot! That’s Lanayru! The Spirit of Light for the Zora race.”

He followed her lead and bowed before the deity. The serpent then faded into a trail of sparkling light that glistened on the water’s surface. Before they could revel in the beauty of the clean waters, the howls and crashes echoing from the tunnel that led to the grotto disturbed them. Link immediately charged ahead, leaving Ruto behind at the fountain.

 

* * *

 

 

The sight of the corrupt Water Sage was enough to make anyone nauseous. It was a festering blob of ooze that clumsily wriggled and stretched into awkward shapes. Among its sludgy body were bones, skin, debris and anything else it touched contorted into vague limbs that twitched and flailed like marionettes on strings. It had no true shape as it fumbled and tried to remember what it was truly meant to be. Yet it couldn’t, there were too many voices absorbed into it to make sense of the maddening chaos that skittered into your ears like a thousand beetles. Nevertheless, it was dangerous as anger was its only reaction. The giant glob of ooze engulfed most of the grotto. Nabooru darted along the various stone pathways, hacking and slashing her way through the various extremities of the beast. Although it was for naught as every piece she hacked off, merely tumbled down the amoeba’s side to reconnect with the viscous gel of its body. Sable was faring in a similar manner, her Fused Shadow gauntlets and boots protected her extremities so she could punch and kick her way across the surface of the Sage. She acted as the main diversion so Nabooru could continue hindering its movements as the Sage was tricked into oozing further out of the water. They noticed the water purify, Ruto and Link had succeeded.

In that instant the Sage’s body let out another cry that could only be described as something with no mouth screaming. Its diseased body turned translucent as the poisons were purified from it. Only then did Bellum’s influence become unveiled. A small mass, a tumour of darkness and golden eyes was embedded in its centre. It was in too deep for any hookshot chain to reach. Nabooru and Sable exchanged looks from across the grotto. They also noticed Link finally entering the fray as he emerged from an upper chamber.

Nabooru’s instructions were simple as she yelled to him “We’ll get it out! You kill it!”

She lunged forward carving away the remaining limbs and chunks of actual solids that may bar Sable’s entry. Sable then followed through, diving forward and shifting into the body of an Ocean Tiger. The feline fish creature tore into the Sage’s body, Sable was mindful to hold her breath the whole time, she swam in close flipping over to bat the tumour out of the amoeba and towards Link with all the might she could muster into her tail. Link was ready as the tumour shot towards him, completely helpless now it was relinquished of an aqueous body, and sliced it horizontally into pieces. It fell to the ground as meaty chunks and evaporated into ashes that began to swirl around Link.

The amoeba then collapsed from within, melting back into harmless water, albeit now it was littered with bones and corpses. Sable quickly emerged from the water, returning to her Terminan body and collapsing on the cavern floor panting. Nabooru approached and checked on her only to have Sable wave her away, only commenting “That was disgusting. When I get the feeling back into my legs, I am going to puke behind that rock over there.”

“Mission accomplished, we did good.” Nabooru then looked up to see Link approach.

Having absorbed another piece of a deity’s power, Link had acquired gauntlets and pauldrons in a similar style to the cuirass which was now more detailed and fitted to him than before. His clothes were slowly turning from green to a pale turquoise. More shockingly his hair now had streaks of white in it and the blue in his eye was waning.

Concerned for her comrades, Nabooru suggested “You know, let’s camp here tonight. We all need a rest before we head to Kakariko.”

There were no objections to this decision.


	29. The Sage of Shadow

Kakariko village was a town of secrets and a past the Hylians neglected to mention. Prior to the village’s construction, the hidden valley served as the base of the operations for the Sheikah tribe. It was a tribe that were outcasts in Hyrule, much like the Gerudo, however they were willing to serve the Hylian royal family due to some ancient pact that promised their loyalty. They were a tribe recognised by their pale hair, oddly coloured eyes like blood or fire, and their extended lifespans, far greater than any other race in Hyrule. More terrifyingly was their knowledge of forbidden shadow magic, making them ideal warriors for stealth and subterfuge. However they were also dangerous, capable of crafting relics of immense power, casting illusions and corrupting the mind, body and soul into foul entities. They claimed to use this metamorphosis as a form of punishment for traitors, then banished the resulting abominations to a labyrinth of lies hidden in Hyrule. The stories as to how their tribe faded to obscurity was forgotten, the Sheikah eventually died out to a few survivors and Kakariko was built over the remains of their land.

The shadowy labyrinths of maddening illusions and monstrosities had been unearthed by Bellum’s destruction of Kakariko village. From the deep, screeching crevices in the earth there was no telling how far the maze spiralled beneath the land. Toxic ectoplasm oozed from the crevices like freshly cut wounds, making them impassable by foot. The cursed and undying monsters crafted by the Sheikah crawled from captivity to meander into Hyrule, further adding the dangers that plagued the land. As Iris soared overhead on her broom, avoiding the acrid stenches wafting from the rotting earth bellow, she wondered why the ectoplasm was tinged red beneath the moonlight. It had a habit of being green or blue unless it was contaminated by something. She surmised to herself “Someone’s down there, powering this thing.”

She circled back to the only remains of Kakariko that had survived the uprising. The Graveyard that stood behind the village was oddly the only thing unscathed by the labyrinth’s unearthing. Onox and Ganondorf remained on guard as they protected the camp. No fires were light to avoid being spotted. While they could hold off a few monsters, the possibility of being overwhelmed was far too great by being so close to the labyrinth. The best they could do was avoid being targeted and hold down the entrance until the others at Zora’s Domain re-joined them.

Ganondorf kept a vigilant eye on their surroundings “Be careful, that thing might still be out there.”

“You mean that ghost that never left the valley?” Onox kept sharpening the blade of his axe with a whetstone “Bongo Bongo? Or something like that?”

“That miserable wretch was a Sheikah that was so powerful, he could break illusions and see right through them. So of course he would be sealed away by his own tribe.”

“Shame, well, hopefully we can give him a swift death… if there’s anything of the original person still in that monster.” Onox tilted his head as he mused aloud “Why is it staying around the valley anyway? Every other monster seems to be leaving.”

Ganondorf raised a hand, commanding silence from Onox and Iris as she landed back at the camp. In the distance he could see that shadowy ectoplasmic vapour heading towards them. The texture shimmered beneath the moonlight like thousands of scarabs skittering over one another. The eerie song of a rhythmic hum echoed in the night, the earth shook as hand prints shattered its surface. The entity was fast approaching, its shadowy powers made it difficult to target.

“We can take it.” Ganondorf announced, he ordered the others “Iris, you need to conjure icicles to pierce its hands, not freeze it over like last time. Onox, while it’s distracted you slash its body open to reveal its eye. I’ll finish it off.”

The swirling darkness danced around them as the mutilated remains of a human body contorted with a nightmarish scream. The disembodied torso hovered in the air, the flesh had turned dark as the skin clung to the remaining ribs and spine. It arched upwards like it was hanging from its feet. Despite a lack of arms, its gnarled hands floated freely before the bloodied stumps. There was a bulging growth where its neck once stood, covered by flaps of skin to obscure the demonic eye that stared out from within its body. The giant monstrosity was the result of the Sheikah tribe’s punishment for their kin, although its name had been lost with time, it was known by its musical inclination. With a hum its body turned invisible, only allowing its hands to be seen.

Iris made the first move, she mounted her broom and soared around Bongo Bongo to garner its attention. She cast a small spell of powdered snow to fall upon its body to reveal an icy silhouette. Displeased at being interrupted, it began to swat at her like she was an annoying insect. Iris carefully manoeuvred the ghost to follow her closer to the camp site. She then conjured icicles in the air, as sharp as any arrow, then launched them as a barrage towards Bongo Bongo’s hands. One hand reeled up with a cry of agony, the other followed as it teetered uneasily in the air. By doing so, its neck stump was in line with the blade of Onox’s axe.

Onox stepped swiftly, putting all his weight into this strike to cleanly slice the mass of flesh between Bongo Bongo’s shoulders. The flaps of limp skin went flying through the air. Instinctively, Bongo Bongo had retreated its eye back into its body to avoid the blade. Distracted by the attack, it was too late when it felt Ganondorf land on its spine. He had been waiting for an opportune moment atop a set of smouldering ruins. Refusing to let Bongo Bongo retreat yet again, Ganondorf scaled its body, positioning himself on the monster’s shoulders. He crouched down and reached inside oozing cavity to roughly clench his hand around the viscous eye. He ripped it out of Bongo Bongo’s body in one swift pull. The ghost screamed its last as it deteriorated into shadowy ooze that dissolved into the air.

When Ganondorf landed, he curiously found one piece of the monster had not vanished. In his hand was the large lens of Bongo Bongo’s eye. One side was red, the other was blue, when Ganondorf put the lens over his own eyes he saw the valley in a different light. There were no monsters leaving the labyrinth. Pulling it away revealed the procession of hellish nightmares meandering into Hyrule Field. “An illusion?” Ganondorf then pocketed the lens, feeling it would come in handy soon.

By then the others had joined them at their little campsite. Ganondorf caught sight of Sable’s dragon form flying overhead. While Link and Nabooru explained to Iris and Onox what had happened. Sable offered him a brief explanation “Sage is dead, Jabu Jabu is dead, Ruto stayed behind to give the Zoras their last rites. She summoned Tatl and Tael to send for more soldiers. She will not be joining us here.”

“Good work,” Ganondorf stepped past her, he then gestured for the others to follow him down the ancient stairwell to the runic door of the Shadow Temple.

 

Link remembered this place well, the house of the dead where the Sheikah kept their ancient secrets. The podium in the centre of the chamber was blank, the embellishments had been whittled down with time. Circles of torches adorned the runic circles marked upon the chamber floor. He watched as Iris jumped to the centre podium and with a wild flourish of her hands ignited every torch in the chamber. The eerie door opposite them creaked open. The rancid stench of rotting flesh and tainted blood assaulted them. Nevertheless, they all pressed onwards into the foreboding darkness.

As Link had traversed these halls before, he subconsciously took the lead to direct them through the labyrinth of evil. Caverns and chambers were littered with nightmarish implements of torture; the likes of which had never been imagined beyond the Sheikah clan. Motifs of ravens and gargoyles watched as they rhythmically swang rusted guillotine blades across their paths. Rivers of souls coursed deep below them as a foul green sludge. The lowest reaches were defined as an ancient harbour, the sail-less ship was still docked and unchanged.

For a moment they regrouped, ensuring everyone had followed safely. Onox placed Iris on the ground, he had been carrying the vertically challenged Deku throughout most of the dangers.

Ganondorf was quick to say to Link “How did you know where to go? Are you Sheikah?”

Link shook his head and sternly offered “I’ve been here before.” Before falling silent again.

Sable rocked on her heels “Is it my imagination or was our journey down here a little too easy?”

Nabooru nodded to her “I know what you mean, no monsters, no ghosts, nothing.”

“The monsters on the surface are an illusion.” Ganondorf procured the strange lens “I ripped this out of Bongo Bongo, it seems to see through Sheikah illusions and when I used it above ground I saw that all the monsters weren’t really there.”

Onox was flummoxed “So Bongo Bongo was the only real monster?”

“I knew something was weird here, it never added up how the monsters in the valley were sighted leaving it but never seen in any other part of Hyrule.” Iris wandered over to Ganondorf to get a better look at the lens.

“And Bellum is just using these illusions to keep people out of this valley?” Onox suggested tentatively, looking over to Sable for some clue.

“Perhaps,” Sable queried “But what could be powering an illusion of this magnitude?”

Link piped up “Wait, did a woman named Impa ever join the rebellion?” They all gave a negative reply to which he explained “Impa is Zelda’s personal bodyguard… and a Sheikah.”

Nabooru tilted her head “Seriously? That fighter is a Sheikah? I thought she just looked weird.”

“Yeah… it is possible to use a person to invoke the power of an entire tribe or race,” Sable elaborated, overwhelmed with a sense of giddiness that came from solving a puzzle “The Gomess legend of Majora recants how powerful spells can be achieved by using someone as a vessel for that power. It works because the caster is tapping into the bloodline of the individual.”

“So by imprisoning Impa, Bellum has access to the powers of the Sheikah race?”

“Yeah, it’s a disgusting and inhumane practice.”

Onox shrugged as Link looked to him for further explanation “This isn’t my particular field,” He then marched over to the edge of the dock “Are going to we hitch a ride on this thing or what?”

Link followed, stepping onto the deck and walking over the Triforce crest. It was placed where the mast should have been. “Yeah, I don’t know where it will lead us though. But when we get to the end the boat will sink.”

Ganondorf marched around the deck, his brow furrowed at the sight of the shoddy craftsmanship “How do we start it?”

Link retrieved the Ocarina of Time from his satchel. Ignoring the perplexed faces of Ganondorf and Nabooru, he proceeded to play ‘Zelda’s Lullaby’ to send the ship to sleep on an ocean of dreams. As the song echoed its last note, bells chimed in the air as the ship came to life. The raven faced boat rocked and swayed down the river of souls as a faint memory of sailing in its days of glory.

 

* * *

 

 

The mist was as thick as night while the boat continued to sail blindly through the abyss. The only light emanated from the river of souls beneath them. The familiar stone trappings and arches of the Shadow Temple had been replaced by dark, jagged rocks. The silence was deafening, yet no one dared to speak, lest they invoke the wrath of an invisible predator. The river finally widened to a final chamber in its route down below the surface of Hyrule. A maelstrom of spirits disappeared into a spiral of nothingness with an island at the vortex’s centre. In the centre of the island was a large gemstone wrapped in chains that disappeared into the maelstrom below. Circling the island in a patrol was a hulking monster pulsing with exoskeleton plates to resemble armour. Black sludge embedded with golden eyes showed Bellum’s influence.

Link however recognised the massive shape of the monster look similar to a Goron and the mane of wiry hair only reinforced his assumption “That’s Darunia!”

Nabooru went to his side to get a better look “The missing Goron elder!? What’s he guarding?”

The ship violently rocked as it surged closer to the island, threatening to disappear into the vortex. In a desperate move, Link leapt from the ship with all his might to fall safely on to solid ground. Ganondorf landed beside him with Nabooru over his shoulder, he was ignoring her protests as she kicked him like a pouting child. Link was surprised as a curled up dodongo bounced onto the ground and uncurled, swirling with shadows to revert back to Onox. Iris had already mounted her broom to avoid falling to her death as the ship sank, Sable was beside her in her dragon form.

Their safety was short lived as their arrival on the island had drawn the attention of those who dwelled in the cavern. Darunia turned, wildly snarling with primal rage as he charged towards them. Ganondorf countered by lunging forward, drawing his swords to swiftly slash the Darunia’s arms that forced the lumbering Goron to crash under his weight. As Darunia was momentarily incapacitated, Iris launched another barrage of icicles and frost magic downwards to coat him in ice and further hinder him. They had to incapacitate him, not kill him, if they still wanted the Gorons to remain loyal to the rebellion. While he was hindered, Ganondorf quickly examined the sludgy darkness, trying to pinpoint the main eye that created this festering parasite.

Nabooru already seized the opportunity by going to the large crystal with Onox. Looking within its surface, she recognised the woman trapped within, she had seen her in the past when the Gerudos attempted to raid Castle Town. Impa remained frozen within the gem, her body was covered with a dark web of pulsing shadows that dripped red. Nabooru looked to Onox for advice and he could only shrug back in reply. Out of frustration, Nabooru struck the gem with her sword. To their shock it screamed like an ethereal beast. The chamber shook wildly as something massive stirred from beneath the river of souls.

Ganondorf let out a cheer to himself as he found the parasite’s origins. The bloodshot eye stared back from the deep crevice it cut into the Goron’s back to nestle between Darunia’s shoulder blades; usually impossible to see on a Goron. The sludgy web screeched and stretched out of shape around Darunia as Ganondorf cleanly sliced around the eye then pierced through it while it panicked in mid-air.

Link was more preoccupied with the monster slowly circled around the maelstrom. Iris landed on the island, nervous at what it meant, with Sable in tow. Immediately, she shifted back into her Terminan form and said “It’s big, like a snake or centipede. It’s coiling around this entire chamber before it emerges. But I got an idea and it includes that big crystal.”

The others moved in close to hear her plan. As Sable predicted, the corrupt Sage of Shadow finally revealed its abominable new shape. A centipede of bones and feathery, sticky gills slowly began to emerge from the waters, its massive body engulfed the surface of the maelstrom. No discernible eyes or even a face appeared. The entire creature was a tangled mess of writhing legs and snapping mouths lined with mandibles. Even its body randomly sprouted and grew at different angles like the branches of a tree. Green ectoplasmic mist wafted from gaps between its exoskeleton.

Link armed the Helix Blade, feeling the powers of a deity flow through him as he unleashed a beam of light into the crystal. The faceted stone did its trick as that single beam deviated into many and assaulted the Sage’s body from all directions. While stunned by the initial attack, Onox and Ganondorf had leapt and landed on the Sage. They ran along the body of the abomination, cleanly cleaving the branches of its body away. Lifeless extremities sank into the river, leaving raw, gaping wounds of rotting flesh that exuded red blood. As anticipated, the mystery of the location of the monster’s head was revealed. The Sage lifted its weary head and looked to its attackers which gave them pause.

Framed by exoskeleton and mutated by Bellum’s plagues, the cursed Sage had a face that resembled a gibbering nightmarish horror with the skin of a Hylian face crudely pulled over it and pinned in place. Among its countless golden eyes were still a pair of Hylian eyes, staring out, crying, begging them to end its miserable existence. It did not resist, even as its body madly writhed and attempted to pull its head back underwater. It stared back at them, using all its might to give them a clean shot.

Link fulfilled its wish. He dashed across the segments of body adrift in the vortex. Calmly leaping upwards and arcing his sword back to slash the Sage’s head vertically. The Sage in turn let out a final howl, dissipating into ashes to engulf Link as he fell into the river of souls. The vortex spiralled out of control, engulfing the entire chamber and everyone within it.

 

* * *

 

 

For the first time in ages, Impa felt like she was thinking lucidly. She finally opened her eyes within her crystal prison. The shards of gemstone fell away from her as the illusions of the Temple of Shadow vanished from reality.

Impa found herself standing on the podium in the entry chamber that housed the door to the temple. Her body was covered with dripping wounds, although they were not life threatening and she’d survived far worse in the past. She looked around the chamber to see that others were with her. She recognised Darunia, Nabooru and Ganondorf. There were also a Deku, a jester woman and a man in heavy armour. Finally she saw Link although he was different now, wielding a blade the likes she had never seen before. His hair had turned white with a silver sheen while his skin was paler and sickly. His green tunic had lightened to a pale blue with faded green edges. A cuirass with faulds of dark metals wrapped around his torso and gauntlets protected his arms.

Link weakly opened his eye, attempting to stand without saying a coherent word. He collapsed again but was caught by Impa. She paused as she realised he was at least a head taller than her now. She laid him on the ground again, and looked to the others, seeing a few supply packs among them. Impa began to tend to her own wounds and then to the others around her.


	30. Recovery

The cool night was surprisingly serene in contrast to the haunted valley Kakariko had become. With Impa removed from the Shadow Temple the valley was calm and undisturbed by Bellum’s plague. Nabooru sat by the bonfire Veran’s apprentices had made with ease by collecting scrap debris from the ruins. Her scimitar rested on a large stone as she sharpened it with a whetstone she found in an abandoned forge. She rhythmically moved the stone along her blades, slowly restoring them to a sharpened glean. Fortunately the blades had not chipped or cracked in her fights as she despised wielding longswords. That type of blade would be her only substitute now she was so far from Arbiter’s Grounds. Nevertheless, they all had to cooperate to survive and surprisingly it was turning into quite a pleasant evening in comparison to the events that preceded it.

She felt Impa’s disapproving stare upon her. The Sheikah was probably watching them as the sentinel as is from the ruins of her old house on the hill. Nabooru knew Impa’s distrust of them was probably related to the rivalry they shared before Bellum’s intervention. The bonds of friendship were also not helped by the way Onox and Sable killed and skinned that caged cow in her former house. The bovine in question was now bubbling away in a cauldron found in the potion shop or skewered on bits of metal over the fire. Darunia was equally wary, keeping his distance and helping smash through ruined buildings for supplies, yet never sitting close enough to them to actually talk. Nabooru took a sip from the stein of water by her side. The well’s water had been tainted so Iris conjured ice from the moisture in the air and promptly heated it to become drinkable. There were still fragments of ice bobbing in the mix. Nabooru hummed to herself, continuing to sharpen her blades as the others went about their business.

The bloody cow skin was tossed over a nearby wall, left to hang and leave smears on the stone. Sable grabbed pieces of the freshly flayed hide and rubbed it on the wall. She was almost in a trance like state as she continued to smear blood on the wall. Knowing it was concerning to watch, Onox placed his hands on her shoulders. He calmly said “Alright, I think you’ve marked enough of your territory for tonight.”

Sable had a deranged grin as she hissed “This is mine.”

 “Yes, we know. Come on, time for sleep.” Onox effortlessly scooped her up in his arms and placed her down by the campfire beside him. Sable fell asleep easily enough, resting her head on his thigh. The majority of plate armour, minus the cuirass, had been removed.

Ganondorf raised an unimpressed eyebrow and sternly demanded “What was that?”

Albeit his usual dominating aura took on an amusing humour with Iris perched on his shoulders. She was fiddling with the iron halo that kept his hair curled into short rows.

 “It happens more than you think, sometimes when you shape shift the monster’s senses linger behind and confuse for a bit. If you’re drained of energy, this can manifest behaviourally.” Onox informed “She’s not a danger to anyone. To be honest, we hate letting people see use like this.”

 “So she’ll be over it by the time she wakes up?”

 “Yes, she’ll be fine. She just needs to sleep for a bit. It’s odd but it’s the price you pay for powers of therianthropy.”

 “Speaking of odd behaviour,” Ganondorf sighed, feeling Iris finally pull the hair piece free and become overwhelmed by flowing red locks. He noticed his hair fall over his shoulders and rolled his eyes “Why are you playing with that?”

Iris parted the mass of hair that had engulfed her “Because your hair is pretty, it’s like a flame and all wavy… and I want to braid it because I’m bored.”

He paused for a few seconds, still with an unimpressed frown on his face. “Well… carry on. But no bows this time.”

Nabooru teased “Somebody’s mellowed.” She smirked at Ganondorf’s disapproval.

Ganondorf was often baffled by Sable and Iris. While the rest of his forces followed his command and Onox and Veran shared a familiar aura of darkness about them; he could not decipher either of them. They almost felt like intruders that were never meant to exist in Hyrule’s reality. He decided in early days of the rebellion to tolerate them, in their weirdness, so that maybe he could understand them one day.

 

Gentle warmth greeted his senses when Link finally awoke. He stared up blankly at the night sky through the broken ceiling. He tentatively propped himself up on one arm, his entire body felt weak and overstretched. The half ruined manor was the only structure left in Kakariko that had a decent portion of roof over their heads. The walls had been knocked down allowing nature to invade the dwelling. The wooden floorboards were warped and blistered from the moving ground. The deep gashes still remained in the unhealed earth. Yet the ectoplasmic vapour and the stench of decay that permeated the ruins had vanished. Gazing through the doorway sized hole in the wall, he could see the others eating and talking among themselves. He didn’t understand why Iris was in the process of braiding Ganondorf’s hair.

 “How are you feeling?” Impa remarked, she had been meditating quietly by his side the entire time.

Link paused and became more alert to his senses “Weird… like my body’s changed somehow. But I can still fight, I haven’t been injured or anything like that.”

 “You’re much taller now so don’t be startled when you get up.”

 “Are you alright though?”

 “Better, now that I’m freed of Bellum’s clutches… the others explained the situation to Darunia and I while you were unconscious.” She shook her head “Never thought I’d ever work with the Gerudo to save Hyrule.” She then rose from her spot and began to slowly walk towards the bonfire, she only asked “Is the princess safe?”

Link slowly stood up, adjusting to his new form “I don’t know… Zelda has become this woman called Hylia. But given what I’ve seen in Hyrule, I’m not sure if that’s a safe thing.”

 “I see.” Impa quietly moved ahead of him. Link promptly followed, stepping with caution as his centre of gravity had altered while he slept.

 

The remains of the cow they had found were cooked to a satisfactory level. Nabooru helped herself to a fillet, leaving the bones and leg cuts of meat to Onox and Ganondorf. She jumped a little at the intermittent sounds of bones breaking open when she realised they were getting at the marrow. A collection of cuts were bundled in an old cloth and left aside for Sable. As far as Nabooru knew, Iris didn’t seem to eat and could sustain herself purely with water. She noticed Darunia curled up like a boulder opposite them, the stubborn idiot was really going to deny himself food to spite them? Any warrior knew that you couldn’t fight properly unless you had eaten and took time to replenish your energy.

 “Hey Darunia! You want rocks?” Nabooru smiled as she gestured to the side “There’s a pile of them over there if you want them.”

 “Sorry, I’m still getting used to this.” Darunia stared Ganondorf down “Kind of hard to forget you nearly killed my tribe because you wanted the Goron’s Ruby. If the royal family hadn’t interfered, Gorons would be extinct by now.”

Ganondorf curtly remarked, snapping a bone to emphasise his quiet anger “And yet I still offered sanctuary to your clan in their hour of need.”

Nabooru strived to create some form of diplomacy “Regardless, we all need to cooperate now so please take care of yourself. We need to make the journey back to the Arbiter’s Grounds.”

 “Fine,” Darunia lumbered over to the rocks in question “These look awful… but they’ll have to do.” He began to crush the large stones into pebbles with his mouth “We’ll see what my brothers have to say upon my return.”

Onox remained silent watching Iris braid Ganondorf’s hair. He could read the slight concern in her eyes which made her busy herself with some inane task. Sable stirred beside him, prompting him to gently stroke her hair to calm her down again. He wondered what Veran would have them do now, five of the sages were dealt with and Link was almost strong enough to end Bellum. They were only a short walk from Castle Town where the last sage was rumoured to reside. Yet he questioned the supplies, the lack of information about their target, there were variables that needed to be carefully considered before choosing an action. The previous Sages fell easily because they had the knowledge to dispatch them and simply place Link in a position to strike a killing blow. Onox doubted whether Link even possessed the ability to slay such foes alone. The Hylian was a weapon to be deployed in order to vanquish evil so was it even possible for a weapon to have autonomy? The more Onox observed Link, the more he grew to pity him, the unfortunate soul was a victim of the goddesses, their curse of the Triforce and he would never be released from them. Not even if he were reincarnated over a thousand life times.

Impa announced upon her approach “We need to go to Castle Town. The princess is in danger.”

Onox and Iris were baffled as to where the woman had appeared from. She literally made no sound whatsoever when she moved. They then noticed Link approach, seeing his much taller and muscular frame. Both were immediately concerned by this development. Ganondorf noticed too, briefly staring at Link before turning back to his food.

Nabooru shrugged “We don’t even know if the princess is there. Hylia is in charge of that place.”

Iris added nervously “It’s also one of the central prisons that give Bellum strength, he did technically claim that entire section of Hyrule and all the people in it… also one of the hardest to break into.”

Darunia exclaimed “Bellum enslaved an entire city!? We have to break them out!”

Link remarked, still wobbling a bit with each step. Were his legs always this heavy? His new body was providing more challenges than he thought. “Zelda needs to be our priority. She can help us, she has the divinity of the Goddesses.”

 “I don’t think Zelda’s there though,” Onox elaborated while the others fell silent “Veran said she’s not there and that she’s safe. That’s good enough for me.”

Impa demanded “Then where has this Veran taken her?”

Onox shrugged “Beats me, our mistress is pretty secretive like that. Probably for the best.”

Nabooru added hastily “If too many people knew, it would compromise the princess’ safety.”

Darunia growled “Regardless of whether the princess is there or not, you’re all telling me that you’d rather leave a city enslaved by a monster?”

Ganondorf raised a hand to silence Onox and Nabooru, he finally said “I know that our combined efforts would get the task done. However, there is still an impenetrable barrier encircling the city. We need more time to dispel it. We also don’t know the numbers of our enemies.”

Impa replied “Let me try to dispel it. We’ll probably pass it on the way back to Arbiter’s Grounds, no harm in trying to observe this force field.”

 “Fine,” Ganondorf looked to Onox and the sleeping Sable, he pointed at Iris “I expect you three to unleash your powers. That should be enough to overwhelm whatever is on the other side of it.”

Iris interjected “I think it would be better if we had Veran on our side, and I’m sure Skull Kid would want to help too.”

Ganondorf parlayed her complaints, he glared at Impa “ **If** you can unseal the town.” Impa nodded, accepting his ultimatum with a quiet confidence. Ganondorf then turned his attention to Link “You on the other hand, after you eat we are sparring. You’d have to be dumb and blind to not see you’ve had a sudden growth spurt since the Shadow Temple. So you need to get used to your new form.”

Link felt so disturbed by this side of Ganondorf. The power hungry, near insane warlock king of the Gerudo had actually become a somewhat coherent and competent leader. To actually spar, in a somewhat friendly manner, was an act he would never think was possible between them. He silently nodded, not wanting to speak further and instead focused his attention on the meal at hand. The night seemed to linger on as they recovered from their recent triumphs.

 

* * *

 

 

The serenity of the Lost Woods made Skull Kid feel at ease. He sat upon a large branch to admire the cascade of crystal clear water flowing through the forest once more. The song of the Zoras, he always assumed, a tune he could never learn to replicate through woodwind or brass instruments. With their messenger duties complete, Tatl and Tael sat upon the brim of his hat to simply enjoy the night. By now the Kokiri were still busying themselves with replenishing the forest and tending to the newest Deku Tree sprout that had emerged. It appeared as though Link was succeeding in his quest. Skull Kid was immensely proud of his friend’s caring nature. First Termina during the Moonfall and now Hyrule, yet there was no telling what other adventures he had been through in his journeys before returning home.

A familiar distortion in the folds of reality alerted him. The air seemed to sway and part, like the drawing of a curtain to reveal a black clouded twilight sky. Veran stepped from the Twilight Realm, reassuming her Terminan form in order to exist in the mortal coil. She too paused for a moment to admire the natural beauty of the verdant forest, to coyly remark “I prefer the Southern Swamps.”

Skull Kid flipped off the branch and bounded over to her “Hyrule still has its beauties too.”

Tael soared over “It’s so quiet here, I can’t believe what a difference Link made.”

Tatl stated matter-of-factly “What did you expect? He is a major hero type.”

 “Veran, is the princess still safe? I get the feeling she means a lot to Link.”

 “You’d have to be blind to miss that. I’m more worried she doesn’t value him the same way.”

Veran laughed to herself, her voice rose above the chattering fairies “Zelda is safely tucked away in the veil of the Twilight Realm.”

 “Safely? But mortals turn into spirits when they enter the twilight… so how is she safe?” Skull Kid tumbled around Veran in a playful way “Spirits have a habit of going missing in the twilight.”

 “Fortunately, she is a chosen piece of the Triforce, that thing the Golden Goddesses prattle on about like it’s such a big deal. Most primal deities have relics that can defy the very fabric of reality so a trio of shiny triangles is nothing in comparison.” Veran took a deep breath to calm herself, reminded herself of the initial question “Meaning that like Link, Zelda assumes the form of a beast when exposed to twilight.”

 “What did she turn into? Was it a cat or maybe… a butterfly?” Tael piped up excitedly “Oh! I’m thinking bird!”

 “In a way, an extinct breed of bird, a loftwing.” Veran smirked back at the fairy of darkness.

 “What’s that? Is it big or little? What colour is it?”

Tatl interrupted “Come on bro, cut that out, we still got business to attend to… I mean,” she looked over at Veran “That is why you’re here, right?”

 “Yes, I overheard from the shadows that only Hylia remains. But they’ll need all of our help to get there.”

Skull Kid stopped tumbling, freezing in his tracks “Is it really safe for me to leave the forest? I mean, last time I did, the Golden Goddesses really messed me up.”

 “The goddesses are choosing to ignore this land in its time of need. Come on, we will meet them in the valley at sunrise.” Veran reached her hand out to Skull Kid.

They looked as older sister and child as they turned to darkness. Veran found it humorous given that Skull Kid, the Wanderer, was far more powerful than she ever could be. Their silhouettes fragmented and vanished from the Lost Woods.


	31. Twili Relics

The familiar sky was in the eternal embrace of time between day and night. Fragments of shadow wafted from the ground to disappear into the air. A welcoming haze engulfed her senses, for it was darkness that birthed life and in death the soul returned to the abyss. Sable found herself standing on floating isles over the sea of sky. An advanced race of people dwelled in the monolithic buildings. The runic symbols and charts boasted a familiar geometric complexity that Sable had seen on relics of the Gomess and throughout the Stone Tower Temple. The mortals who dwelled here were not spirits, instead they were human shaped beings tainted by the Twilight Realm. They had ebony and alabaster complexions with neon shades of colour for hair. Their eyes tended to be blank, glowing in hues of yellow or red on their faces. Similar runes glowed either red or blue upon their bodies and their clothing was an extension of darkness that draped from their auras.

Sable timidly stepped forward, amazed by the ways in which this clan channelled both the power of light and darkness. Elaborate paths of light wove and twisted between the isles. Distracted by her observations, she didn’t notice the crowd of these creatures coming towards her. Much to her shock they passed right through her like she was a ghost. The surreal magnitude of the situation sank in as her heart began pounding and a cold sweat of dread engulfed her. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep back in Hyrule. She frantically looked around the crowds in the tired hope of identifying something familiar. Standing before the main door of the largest building was a familiar Fused Shadow helm and silhouette.

Zant sensed Sable approach, he confidently rocked on his heels as he toyed with his long sleeves by waving his arms. He twisted around his upper body to look at her “Hello again. I’m glad you could make it.”

 “Alright?” Sable eyed him in curiosity as the coiled tongue of his helm folded up so she could see his fang lined mouth. The Fused Shadow it was crafted from pulsed with red light like a heartbeat. She blinked, taking in her surroundings as she followed him through the crowds of people into a chamber that resembled a throne room.

 “This place is a kingdom built by the Twili, descendants of the Interlopers who tried to take the Triforce with dark magic.” Zant teased “Sound familiar?”

Sable was astonished “Just like the Gomess… so this place is the Hylian equivalent of our tribe?”

 “Yes, although it is a far cry and primitive to the knowledge we attained. The people here are more diseased by darkness, some can barely count as Terminan anymore.”

She corrected him “You mean Hylian.”

 “Fine, whatever,” Zant growled to himself while gesturing to a skinny Twili who was wildly flailing his arms wildly as he spoke “My Hylian doppelganger and he’s a far cry from my majesty. He’s like an overacting ham and nowhere near as handsome as I. But I know this tribe will be divided soon enough, the goddesses like to mimic events of Terminan history for their amusement.” He paused in the centre of the chamber as various advisors were speaking to a woman on the throne. “But… I’m sad that the goddesses chose Midna to take on this form in their supposed paradise. This is not the fierce, cunning and brave leader that rose to the rank of Arch Mage in our tribe. She’s so… reserved and modest by comparison.”

Sable looked to the woman, her eyes were similar to the ancestral spirit Sable encountered in her youth. Yet that was the only similarity, the Hylian Midna was adorned in fine gowns and not a hair out of place. She sat calmly on her throne, listening to her advisors before rendering decisions. Sable took the opportunity to ask “What was Midna like? How exactly did you two know each other?” She gestured to the Twili version “Not her, the Midna I’m descended from.”

 “Like no other woman I’ve ever met. We trained together often and pushed each other to become more skilled in shadow magic. I favoured the conjuring of darkness while she was a shape shifter.” Zant smiled, recalling the memories “Yet one never beat the other, we always drew or had a tie, we even became Arch Mages at the same time. We were complete equals of each other and it made us great leaders of our tribe.”

 “But from what I’ve seen in my research of the Stone Towers, there was a fight between you two which lead to the priestess Majora to become cursed by the Man-Eater’s mask.”

The smile on Zant’s face vanished, he hesitantly admitted “We were so engulfed in fighting the Ikanans that we forgot the duty to our people… we let our emotions take control rather than remain rational.” He looked to Sable “For Gomess, our leaders are chosen by the merits of their actions. They are then taught by the elders a sense of duty so that our decisions would benefit the majority of our people…” He let out a despondent sigh “And we both lost track of that over the years… our first fight was also our last as we divided the tribe and blazed our own trails. I’ve never forgiven myself for treating Midna so badly when we were meant to be equals. Perhaps if we hadn’t fought, our race wouldn’t be on the verge of extinction…”

Sable suggested nervously “Is that why you’re here now?”

He nodded “I know where Veran hid Midna’s helm that you worked so hard to rebuild, I also know that if you’re to fight a primordial deity you need every weapon you can find.”

 “What does Midna’s helm do? When I wore it, I heard so many voices, I felt like my head was going to explode.”

 “It has the power to channel the primal essences of all the souls you’ve collected. It’s a relic that only holds value to a skilled therianthrope who can use the helm to merge the essences as one so a new creature can stabilise and take shape.”

 “Wait a minute,” Sable was astonished, this magic was theoretical at best and now she was hearing that Midna had made it reality “The helm creates a chimera!?”

Zant smiled and nodded “Exactly and I believe you are capable of wielding it.” He raised his arms, the familiar helm emerged from a contortion of shadows above his hands. “It was hard to find this, time and fate doesn’t run in a linear or logical way for Hyrule. It took me a few years to find this relic, Veran hid it in Hyrule’s past, gifting it to the Interlopers of this reality so it could be hidden by the Twili. Clever, but I’d expect nothing less from the Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm.”

Sable reached out to take the helm, feeling it waver and vanish “Aren’t you afraid Veran will find out?”

 “I already bragged to her, oh, her face was priceless. I wish I could have a portrait of that expression she took. Like someone suddenly started defecating in the middle of the street.” he chortled to himself “But Midna and I were never ones to follow the whims of deities. I suppose that’s why we could achieve the things we did.” Zant continued “Our time grows short now, your body is on the verge of waking. When you need Midna’s helm, you can conjure it.”

 “And you’re really not concerned by Veran’s wrath?”

He sneered “I’m already dead, technically, so why should I worry?”

 “Fair point… Zant… have you by any chance seen my doppelganger here?” She quickly explained “Iris and I were talking one late night and… neither of us have seen a Hylian doppelganger anywhere… we’ve never really had any weird visions either. What does it all mean?” Zant fell silent and bit his bottom lip. She then realised what it meant “I see… I suspected as much but didn’t want to accept it…” she bowed to him “Thankyou Zant… I think.”

 “I doubt we’ll ever meet again… but I don’t feel haunted by regret anymore…” he smiled maniacally as he vanished into the ether before Sable’s eyes. Soon enough the realm of the Twili melted into oblivion as the twilight sky swirled around her.

 

 “You’re too slow, move your body faster!” Nabooru’s voice yelled.

Link flew back as Ganondorf struck him again with his sheathed weapon. There was no way he would damage such a valuable ally with a real blade. Link was panting like a dog as he felt sweat drip off his face and his body felt limp and heavy.

 “Again!” Impa demanded as she remained at the sidelines of the makeshift sparring circle alongside Nabooru and Darunia.

Darunia cheered “You need to mindful of your body! Keep trying! You can do this!”

Link gasped “Can’t I just put on some plate armour?”

Ganondorf retorted “No, you’re struggling under the weight of your body now. The additional plate armour would only hinder you further.”

Impa nodded with his observation, she told Link “Remain focused on your equilibrium, your feet, your arms, everything must be precise.”

Sable blinked, still lying down near the fire as she watched the spectacle. Everything felt like it was dripping in molasses, so slow and cumbersome. More sleep was the most obvious remedy to her current status. She paused as she realised she was resting her head on Onox’s thigh. He had his arm draped over her while he remained quiet. Iris was sitting back with them, lost on any advice she could offer as she always favoured the ways of magic rather than melee. Knowing they had no guidance to impart to Link, they remained by the bonfire as the others continued to help him through the rest of the night.

 

* * *

 

 

A few days had passed and Link still felt eerily unfamiliar with his own body. His concerns of Zelda’s wellbeing only escalated during their delayed campout. The sparring sessions had helped yet he still felt like someone had swapped bodies on him. Careful examination in private confirmed the old scars that had healed, markers on his body to identify it as his. Reluctantly he followed after the others, leaving the ruins Kakariko in their wake. The secluded valley had fallen silent once more as even Bellum had not realised it was unoccupied by his deformed Sage abomination. If he did, there would have been an ambush on their camp as they rested.

In the distance squatted the imprisoned Castle Town that was growing larger as they advanced through the primordial fungal forests that had enveloped Hyrule Field. The sky was a sliver of light choked by the canopies. Each plant looked similar and despite being day, it was very dark, very humid to traverse; ideal for sneaking within reach of an enemy stronghold. Nabooru and Impa were leading the way, sharing their knowledge of the old and new terrain to find a relatively hidden place to breach the barrier. Aside from the quiet whispers between the leaders, everyone else was silent as they trudged along. They were too close and any loud noises would rouse Bellum’s minions to their location.

Impa raised her arm ahead of them, signalling them to come close. They had found a section of the barrier that would be ideal for an infiltration should they break it. On the other side of the shimmering, festering, wall of gold and black energy, was an opening to a dried up water way. The channel ran throughout Castle Town and all the way to the palace. It was an optimal point of entry for the succession of their scheme. The only issue was the presence of the barrier that barred their path. Impa looked to Ganondorf and stretched an open palm to him, glaring at him expectantly. Annoyance furrowed his brow as he reluctantly handed over the lens of truth. Impa turned away from the Gerudo king with indignation; she didn’t want to admit that the task before her may be too daunting for the powers of a Sheikah.

Nevertheless, she endeavoured to prove him wrong upon her approach to the barrier. Upon closer inspection it looked sickly and diseased. It moved like it drew breath. The magic had solidified into a shell that was cracked at the edges and oozing ectoplasmic puss. It was then that she felt people approach her. Impa turned with the intention of telling her comrades off for following only to see the others still relatively hidden in the forest, watching her from a distance. Before her was a Skull Kid from the forest who had an actual face and a blue skinned woman with an otherworldly aura.

Veran nodded to the perplexed Impa, waving her arm to conjure the Twilight Mirror to their location. The large relic floated effortlessly over the palm of her hand.

Skull Kid playfully tugged at Impa’s dark sash, gesturing to the lens in her hand with glee. She relinquished the lens to Skull Kid’s care. He then passed it over to Veran who placed it upon the reflective surface of the mirror.

Veran then whispered “Now use your powers of illusion.” She looked to the barrier, flicking her hair as she did “It will break when configured like this.”

Impa’s sense of duty to the Hylian royal family overwhelmed any feelings of uncertainty or anger. She proceeded with the intended spell. Shadowy illusions emanated around her and were channelled into the mirror. Runic patterns of red eyes weeping a single tear wavered across her skin for a moment. Then blazed with the intensity of an inferno as she finished chanting in her ancient tongue. The mirror reacted to her power, reflecting a wave of darkness shimmering with red towards the barrier.

Before they could deem the spell a failure, the barrier began to quake like giant rousing from sleeping. For a moment a doorway was lifted as it shuddered. They all sprinted towards the opening narrowly making it as it fell to rest once more. Impa looked around to see everyone had made it safely while they caught their breaths in dried water way. Darunia remained on guard as he easily made the sprint by rolling. Impa turned to Link and offered him a smile, soon enough they’d hopefully be reunited with Zelda.


	32. The Sage of Light

The illusion of a perfect utopia within Castle Town had been lifted from Link’s eye. Upon his return to the city he could see its decay and ruin. The demonic abominations that stalked the streets while the imprisoned townsfolk who were free to wander the surface lumbered like ReDeads. Their eyes were vacant with the pupils so wide it swallowed every aspect of their vision. Strange ectoplasmic mould flaked from their skin like ash, not that they even seemed to notice. The barrier’s sickly presence tainted the sky with a miasma. The roots of the shield permeated through the town like a fungal disease. Tubes cracked, leaking foul smelling black liquids that seared the flesh of anything that touched it. The waterway had survived mostly unscathed and safe to traverse. The same could not be said for the rest of the town. The castle squatted in the distance over a desolate field. The eeriness was magnified by the fact that no other living things even dared approach it.

He carefully followed after Impa, Nabooru and Ganondorf who continued to traverse the path before them. Onox, Darunia, Iris and Sable had their own tasks to complete as they divided from the rest of the group and disappeared into the pandemonium of Bellum’s plague. Veran and Skull Kid had disappeared with an eerie cackle upon entering the city. The sounds of buildings crashing to the ground made him pause. Looking back, he witnessed the sight of the Dark Dragon rising above the rooftops. The colossal beast did not have to fly to damage the city. It smashed and burned its way through the city like a child in a playground. Lifeless bodies of Bellum’s minions flew to the wind. The largest of which could barely strike at the mythical dragon as they were either incinerated or crushed under talon and tail.

Link felt himself pulled along by Ganondorf as the Gerudo frowned at him “Come on! That’s a normal thing to see these days.” He offered a curt glance at the sight, then smiled and cheered in a booming voice to Onox “Now that’s how you fight like a woman!” Ganondorf excitedly turned to Nabooru “Look at him go! He’s almost as good as a Gerudo!”

 “If that Gerudo was a giant dragon.” Nabooru teased as she went to his side, she remarked unimpressed “Still too clumsy, what’s the point of all that strength if you don’t have the poise and agility to back it up?”

 “I think Onox is doing better under your tutelage.”

 “Yeah, but I wouldn’t trust him with an important fight alone… similar circumstances for you as well mind you.” Nabooru laughed to herself “Honestly, Ganondorf, you’re hopeless without a personal guard to watch your back. You leave yourself so open.”

Ganondorf pouted as he followed after her “I do not!”

 “I could easily gut you while blindfolded.”

 “No you couldn’t! I demand a test of your claim upon our return to the Arbiter’s Grounds!”

 “I’ll be more than happy oblige, but you know I wouldn’t really hurt you right?”

 “Of course not, I’m your king.”

 “Not because of that, you wouldn’t be as pretty all covered in scars.”

 “Pretty? Why would I be concerned by that?”

 “Oh darling, you’re the pretty one of the tribe. Why else do you think you were sent on all those diplomacy missions in tight, leather outfits?”

 “We will not speak of such clothes, the chaffing…” He shivered at the memory.

 “Well, it’s not like you’d be able to squeeze yourself into them now.”

Impa nodded to herself wisely “So that’s why he always wore those ridiculously tight clothes and the strange armour that didn’t really cover anything.”

Nabooru teased her “No offense, but a moulded, silver breastplate? You’re one to talk.”

 “Royal Hylian dress code for when I’m on display, fortunately I stick to the shadows these days so such costumes are not needed and I can wear the garments of my tribe.”

 “Yeah, you’re looking really good these days. Love your gear, who’s your blacksmith?”

 “Most of this equipment is made by me, I don’t have the luxury of a blacksmith who can create Sheikah garments.”

 “You should talk to some of the smiths in my tribe, they’re damn good and if you explain what you need, I’m sure they’ll give it a go.”

 “Thankyou, I may need to do so in the near future.”

Ganondorf let out an exacerbated sigh and rolled his eyes at his second in command. “It’s fine if you want to talk, but remember we **all** need to do our part if we’re going to deal with this Hylia.” He paced ahead to let them discuss armour design, a topic that bored him at every stage of his life.

Impa smiled silently as she kept chatting with Nabooru with a perplexed Link in tow. Obviously the fact that Gerudo society was matriarchal and valued a man’s aesthetics over other aspects of his identity was lost on him. Yet the change of Hyrule was intriguing, perhaps the Sheikah and Gerudo were not as different as led to believe. They continued their journey to the castle while the city was reduced to rubble by the wrath of the Dark Dragon.

 

* * *

 

 

Darunia crashed and thrashed through the streets like the giant rock monster he was. The flimsy walls and buildings crumbled under his strength. Demonic beings birthed from Bellum’s plague disintegrated into ashes as he targeted their golden eyes with vicious punches and kicks. All he knew was that he was to search this side of the town while Onox kept his distance. He was at first wary at watching Onox transform into the giant dragon that laid siege to the opposite side of town, suspecting him as one of the endangered dragonkin. Yet Sable appeared to possess similar abilities as she transformed into a bipedal, magma spewing dodongo. Iris rode atop her currently reptilian friend, her leafy hair blazed like fire.

Nevertheless, his own confusion and curiosity could wait. He knew the importance of their task. They had to locate the prisoners hidden in the city, he kept an eye out for any suspicious doorways or trap doors leading underground. Apparently the ancestors of Iris had dealt with Bellum before and had passed on tales of his reign, allowing them to move swiftly in identifying his weak points. He rounded another corner, taking note of the cobblestones. If there was one thing Gorons knew, it was rocks, they were so attuned to them that stone could practically speak to them. Finally a single malformation in the cobblestones caught his eye.

The cobble in question had a hardened shell like an insect, but Darunia could sense its spongy interior. He signalled to Iris and Sable to come closer as he raised his opposite hand, clenched in a fist. He struck the offending stone with all his might. The earth collapsed around them as he broke the barrier of a sink hole that sent them tumbling down into an abyss. Damages from the fall were minor, it was no match for the fortitude of a Goron, the flexibility of a shape shifter and the cunning of a witch. Darunia remained on the ground, gazing up to see Iris float down on her broom and what he assumed to be Sable crawling down the wall; the dodongo had been replaced by a fur covered insect.

The darkness around them was tinged with faint gold light. The source of which was clear when they finally took in the scene around them. The giant chasm must span beneath the entirety of the city; roughly dug by some unfathomably massive creature. Networking throughout the cavern, weaving over every possible surface was a network of viscous shadows and amber veins. Trapped within the windows of amber were faces of Castle Town’s occupants. Their eyes were blank. Their faces contorted with fear and agony. The cavern rocked and groaned from Onox’s rampage on the surface. The riot was clearly enough to draw the attention of whatever creatures tended to this macabre garden of miserable souls.

Darunia nervously turned to his companions for advice, he had no idea how to begin freeing them. Sable reverted to her Terminan form, walking to the edge of their landing to take in the scene with Iris in tow. The Deku conjured a flame, winking at Sable, although her jester companion shook her head. Iris snuffed the flame with a disappointed sigh. This was quite a conundrum to face.

The heart of the cavern held a deviation in the network of imprisoned Hylians. A large, tumourous growth appeared to be the origin point of the tendrils and veins of a larger creature. A circulatory system ripped from a colossus then splayed underground. The visceral pile of mangled organs gave Sable a solution to their predicament. She gestured the others to move in close as she gave the following instruction “Darunia, smash that heart at the centre. Iris, you need to cauterise any severed arteries I cut.”

 “What makes you say-” Iris was interrupted by Sable gesturing to a nearby vein. The flesh upon it was scarred and fused from an old injury. “I see, so it’s a living thing… weird, I wonder where the rest of it is.”

 “I suppose we’ll find the rest of the pieces later. Now, we can beat it with usual means.” Darunia grinned to them “I’ll start the attack on the heart, we don’t know if it’ll attract any attention so it’s best if I take the lead.”

 “Can you handle it?”

 “Yeah, I’ve killed my fair share of dodongos in my time. Hopefully this will be easier.”

Sable nodded to him “If things get heated, we’re here to back you up and retreat. There is no reason to endanger us all on a whim.”

In agreement, the trio put their plan into action. Darunia charged ahead, curling into a boulder monstrosity and using the weight of his body to pick up speed. He made the first move by charging into the core of the network, dislodging it from the ground with a sickening gurgle, to then continue attacking. The violent opening move had damaged some of the arteries as expected, Iris promptly followed through, cauterising the gaping, oozing tubes so they could not attempt regeneration. Sable transformed into a Forest Fox, knowing the talon shaped limbs would be strong enough to cleanly slice their path through the cavern.

 

* * *

 

 

The presence of Veran’s apprentices had worked perfectly, just as Ganondorf had predicted. They drew away any demonic beings guarding Hyrule Castle by destroying the rest of the city. As Ganondorf, Link, Nabooru and Impa made it to the end of the parched waterway; he looked back at the city. He could not deny that watching the kingdom of his rival nation crumble to pieces beneath the power of the Dark Dragon made him inexplicably delighted. Not because he harboured malice towards Hyrule, he could just never understand how such incompetent fools could survive on divine luck.

The garden courtyards were littered with sentinels, yet the castle itself looked deserted. An ideal situation as Ganondorf gestured to Nabooru. She smirked back, tapping Impa on the shoulder as they divided from the group. Link nervously ran after Ganondorf, watching Impa and Nabooru unsheathe their blades. Nabooru caught the attention of the demonic entities with a blood curdling war cry while Impa had her back and silently, calmly awaited the oncoming storm of battle. Link had no other choice than to flee through the pandemonium to the sanctuary of the castle.

Wood crumbled to splinters beneath the force of Ganondorf’s fist. He stalked into the great hall of Hyrule Castle where an eerie silence had consumed all. Tattered portraits and ripped tapestries wavered weakly upon the walls. The perfect masonry of the floors were scuffed and cracked with time. A grand stairwell swept from the floor to the upper reaches of the hallway. Once used to welcome visitors in splendid opulence, now it resembled the long, jagged tongue of a monster. Standing atop it was Hylia, looking every bit like Zelda, dressed in her heavenly white, silk robes adorned by patterns of the Triforce. Her radiance permeated the silence like a struggling heart beat in a dying body. She gazed beyond Ganondorf as she saw the newly altered Link.

Her eyes widened with horror “You’ve been corrupted by the Oni…”

Ganondorf turned to eye Link up then replied on his behalf “I reckon it’s more of an improvement.”

 “You’re diseased, tainted, broken. You must not remain in my kingdom, foul abomination.”

He stormed forward “Look kid, we all know you’re the result of Bellum’s influence on the Sage of Light dressed up to look like the princess, so drop the act already.”

Link blocked his path “But what if she’s not!? What if she’s possessed or something!?”

 “She’s not, that thing called Hylia isn’t even real.”

Ganondorf let out an exacerbated growl, dark magic conjured in his open palm as he violently threw the orb at Hylia. Link was stunned at the sight of the blast that resulted upon impact. He then realised that Hylia was exactly as Ganondorf had described. The frail, beautiful puppet stood again, her skin was cracked like porcelain. The lost fragment and pieces revealed a void of nothingness within the delicate shell. From the abyss within stirred something solid, shadows solidified into fibres that wove and twisted as serpents finally parting to reveal countless golden eyes staring back at them.

Ganondorf smugly remarked “Now do you believe me?” Link answered by drawing the Helix Blade and standing ready to attack. The Gerudo nodded although did not draw either of his swords “Good, now we wait for a moment. Then finish her.”

 “We wait!?” Link glanced between Hylia and Ganondorf “But… I don’t get it!?”

Hylia’s tone changed in that moment, she glared back confidently “Neither do I, pitiful mortals. You are nothing compared to the glory of Bellum. He has gifted with strength, power and immortality with his benevolence. I am no longer a weak sage, enslaved to the Triforce.” She laughed to herself, particularly at Link who wore the face of a man who’s entire world was unravelling before him “Oh please, who do you think sold out this world anyway? I happily bartered the souls of the other Sages for this power and to think because a little fairy told me so.”

Ganondorf raised an eyebrow as he muttered “A fairy?”

Link remained still, tightening his grip on the Helix Blade as it felt like the only real thing in that moment. He needed to feel anchored to some sense of comforting order.

The puppet let out shriek before they even dared to approach, making them pause for a moment. Hylia clutched at where her chest should be “My heart!?”

 

_Beneath the streets of Hyrule, Darunia, Sable and Iris continued their decimation of the organic prison. The visceral tumour had been smashed into a fine paste by Darunia. Now he was responsible for helping Castle Town Citizens out of the freshly severed arteries. Yet there were still many pieces to go as Sable and Iris ventured onwards._

 

Another screech as she gripped her face, her abyss of eyes within dimmed “My eyes!?” She let out a soul chilling screech of agonising pain.

 

_The larger of Bellum’s minions had fused together to face the threat of the Dark Dragon. Onox struggled against the titanic abomination of nonsensical organic matter; hastily joined in illogical patterns that broke just as quickly beneath his strength. He charged with his head low. Horns buried into the monster’s chest as he smashed it against the solidified boundary encircling the town._

Hylia fell to the ground, convulsing in fits as her muscles weakened beyond repair. She choked out a mix of toxic black sludge that hissed on contact with the floor. “What’s happening!?” Hylia struggled to crawl back, trying to put more distance between her and her intruders. “My body is failing!?”

 

_The courtyard fell to the glorious dichotomy of warriors. Nabooru, a Gerudo, brash, daring and acrobatically executed her foes with ease; the weight of her plate armour was nothing as she moved with the elegance of a dancer through the fray. Impa, a Sheikah, stealthy, minimal and precise fought with accuracy and minimalism; every movement had a purpose, every attack met its mark. She offset the bravado and theatrics of Nabooru, stalking in the shadows to counter and surprise Bellum’s minions. The bodies in the courtyard kept piling up as fell in a lifeless heap._

Hylia was paralysed upon the floor, consumed and tormented by pain. She weakly noted Ganondorf smugly appear in her line of sight. She coughed, lungs on the verge of failing, filling with fluid. Hylia whimpered a demand “How did you work it out?”

 “To be honest, a lucky guess.” Ganondorf folded his arms over his chest “You think Bellum is the only one familiar with forbidden magic?” He then gestured to Link “And now to end her.”

Link felt sick to his stomach as he stalked over Hylia. She still looked so much like Zelda that it mortified him. No matter how hard he tried, his hands would not stop shaking. He raised the Helix Blade up high, staring at Hylia’s bright blue eye that reminded him of the princess. Unable to bear witness to this vision, he shut his eye and buried the blade into her. Tears blurred his vision as he dared to look upon her again. Hylia’s body disintegrated around his sword, the darkness unleashed seeped into his body as it did when a Sage died. Still deeply disturbed, Link fled the castle and ran off into the remains of the town.

Ganondorf did not follow, the opportunity to explore the inner sanctum of his foe was too great to pass up.


	33. Awakening

The piercing howl that emanated from the remains of the castle echoed through the city. Nabooru and Impa paused to watch the corpses of their fallen opponents and those who still stood fade into obscurity; turning monochrome then breaking away like ash. The barrier overhead fell as shards of glass that evaporated into the ether before they could shatter on the ground below. Amidst the silent descent of Bellum’s minions into oblivion, they saw Link flee from the castle with dark magic trailing behind him that heralded the death of the last corrupt sage.

Impa’s brow furrowed at this development “Shall we check it out?”

Her query was interrupted by Onox plummeting from the sky and landing in the gardens nearby with an earth shaking thud. The two warriors observed Sable and Iris descend from the sky, the Deku rode the dragon as usual, to take care of their friend. Their bickering echoed above the silent fields. Nabooru smirked to suggest “I’ll handle them, you see what the pretty boy is panicking over.”

 “I was about to suggest the same arrangement.” Impa sheathed her blades and walked off in the direction Link had fled.

Nabooru swaggered over to the comical scene of Sable and Iris attempting to get Onox somewhat standing. The giant had worn himself out that every attempt to remain vertical resulting in collapsing yet again. Iris stamped her feet “Seriously!? Why didn’t we bring Darunia with us?”

 “He’s looking out for the prisoners, getting them into order.” Sable growled, grabbing Onox by the shoulders as she shoved him upright with all her strength “Why are you so heavy!?”

Iris rolled her eyes “It’s just you know dealing with Onox is a two person job and I only count as a quarter of a person.”

 “If that idiot just stayed a little longer as a dragon, he would’ve landed in the castle and not made such a huge dent in the ground.”

 “Relax, we’ll fill it in, plant some flowers, whoever lives here will never know the difference.”

 “Perhaps I can help,” Nabooru coolly remarked as she added her strength to the mix. They managed to pull Onox to his feet and act as supports to keep him that way. “The palace should have somewhere he can rest.”

Sable shyly informed “Yeah… rest is not really Onox’s thing after a long shape shift.” She was explained by the groans from his stomach “We need to a find a stocked larder.”

 “Might be tough, but let’s check the castle.” Nabooru suggested, she looked up to Onox “Hang in there, we’ll find you some food.”

 

* * *

 

 

The trail finally ended at a desolate courtyard in the once impeccable royal gardens. The despondent statues now overlooked a barren land. The waning sunlight cast shadows across the tired ruins that knew peace now Hylia was slain. Seated upon a stone bench was Link although now his hair had turned completely silver, his eye was milky white and his face was branded by red and blue war paint. Impa could not identify what manner of tribe used such patterns, yet she knew he was no longer just a swordsman. He radiated an aura that boasted a power like none other, one of abolition and order.

He ripped the eyepatch off his previously damaged eye, blinking hard he muttered to himself “I can see again? But… I killed her.”

Impa emerged from the shadows “Who did you kill?”

He burst into tears at his confession “I killed Zelda or what remained of Zelda.”

 “No you haven’t, do you not remember the conversation in Kakariko Village? They said that the princess was safe.”

 “How can I even trust any of them? They’re Gerudo and weird magic users.”

 “You can,” Impa wisely advised, taking a seat on the dry fountain before him “As far as I can see, they are the only ones fighting to save Hyrule. Everyone else has been too damaged from Bellum’s reign to even try rebelling and yet, the Gerudo have united Hyrule under one banner once again.”

 “You’ve been imprisoned in the Shadow Temple since it all began, how could you know?”

 “While I was imprisoned, I was tortured by watching Hyrule descend into madness at the whims of that demon. I knew what was happening to the land from Bellum’s perspective.” Impa shook her head, smiling a little “But it did not break me, because I also saw his frustration and rage mount as a tribe from the desert continued to defy and resist him. So, even though I’ve only been physically awake for a short time, I know I can trust them for now.”

The ether grew heavy in the air, distorting the fabric of reality as a split emerged nearby. Darkness emboldened by the gentle glow of twilight erupted briefly as Veran stepped from the rift. She curtly smiled to them, approving of Link’s transformation with a confident nod. “Sorry to miss the fighting, Skull Kid and I had some other matters to attend to. If everything’s going according to plan his portal should be opening downtown, allowing rebellion troops and supplies to filter in.” She flicked the skirts of her outfit, conjuring waves of darkness to dance and vanish in the air. The magic faded to reveal Zelda unconscious in the courtyard.

Link immediately ran to the fallen princess’ side, scooping her up in his arms to hold her small form against her. Had she always been so petite? Link found himself treating her gently, afraid he might inadvertently break a bone.

Veran swayed past them, winking to Impa as she said “I apologise for my lack of forwardness but my apprentices were speaking the truth. I’m just returning Zelda to the waking world because now it’s finally safe for her to do so.” She looked over her shoulder to Link “If I hadn’t, she truly would have been assimilated with the corrupt Sage of Light and you would have killed her when you defeated Hylia.” She then returned to Impa, tapping her on the shoulder as she swayed past “It’s best if we leave the lovers to reunite, but I need to find my apprentices quickly.”

Impa nodded back, taking the lead as they meandered back down the garden path “They should be in the castle by now with Nabooru and Ganondorf.”

Veran inquired “How did everyone fare during the fight?”

 “No obvious injuries from what I’ve seen.” Impa folded her arms over her chest “I take it that the next step would be to fight Bellum directly.”

 “Yes, the pieces have finally aligned which is why everything has smoothly fallen into place after such inactivity.”

 “Where does this demon sleep? I couldn’t recognise where his haven was…”

 “It’s hidden in the reflection of Lake Hylia. Now that Ruto has purified the waters of Hyrule, Zelda’s power combined with Skull Kid’s will be enough to shatter the illusion and present our only opportunity to strike at him. Then I fear it will take the best fighters of the resistance to defeat Bellum.” Veran warned darkly “He is a monster that does not play fair so we can’t afford to give him the upper hand. We all need to fight as one; we can’t rely on Link to handle Bellum alone.”

Impa nodded back in agreement, they found the doors of the palace hanging from their hinges. The joints creaked in pain as they limply held the ornate wood in place. They followed the trail of destruction inside to survey the situation.

 

* * *

 

 

The search for any incriminating details of Bellum’s operations was futile. Ganondorf continued to stalk the decaying halls of Hyrule Castle; although he wasn’t sure what he was looking for anymore. Eventually he came to the throne room, the grand audience chamber where members of the Hylian family met with visitors to the court. He had been in this room many times when he served as a diplomat to the Gerudo tribe. The window overlooking the princess’ courtyard was still there. He always thought it odd that the young princess would watch him so intently from that spot. More shocking was that they took the word of a child to incarcerate him in Arbiter’s Grounds. There was no trial, no presentation of evidence, just accusations and imprisonment.

He grabbed a loose piece of stone from a broken goddess statue and threw it through that window with all his might. The crescendo of shattering glass was a welcome sound that soothed his anger. He stomped over to the decrepit throne, marvelling at how small it appeared when you were close and not gazing up at a Hylian monarch on a pedestal. It looked solid with ancient wood carved with patterns honouring the Triforce and the goddesses. He cringed at the depiction of Din throughout the chamber; he had always been raised to see her as a Gerudo maiden that it was offensive to see her as a plain Hylian. His attention turned to the throne again, recalling a time when he did want to claim it as his own.

Driven by a childish curiosity, Ganondorf carefully eyed his surroundings before he settled into the throne. He took a moment to take in the view of surveying the chamber from that seat. Even if the seat was not built to support his giant body and tightly hugged his waist. The creaking began subtly, finally snapping as the throne gave way beneath his body. Ganondorf hit the ground heavily, the throne fell the pieces around and beneath him. As he clambered from the ground he heard laughter and giggling. Looking up he saw Iris, Nabooru and Sable at the doorway and immediately felt dread overcome his senses.

Nabooru smirked as she suggested “Maybe you should have taken your plate armour off before you sat down.”

Sable laughed “What a pathetic little chair, looked like it was made for a child.”

 “I know, right.” Iris cackled “What made you think you’d fit in it? It’s like watching a big cat try to squeeze itself into a small box.”

 “I’ll keep your criticism in mind.” Ganondorf stood and approached them “What’s the situation?”

Nabooru reported “City is in our control, we’re just looking for some food for Onox and Impa is trying to calm Link down.”

He shook his head “That child has no fortitude.”

 “Yeah, because he’s still a child technically. He doesn’t seem to have the coping skills that we do.”

 “And Onox is?”

Sable remarked bluntly “Down the hall, I got tired of carrying him. But I really need to find something for him to eat before he passes out completely.”

Iris explained “If that happens, he’s not waking up for at least a week and I think we’re going to be busy and in need of another shape shifter so that’s probably not a good thing.”

Impa remarked, suddenly appearing among them “Fear not, supplies are on the way.”

Iris instinctively jumped into Sable’s arms at the sudden appearance of the Sheikah. She screeched to Impa’s mischievous smirk “How do you do that!?”

Ganondorf blinked, trying to formulate a logical explanation “How are there supplies on the way?”

 “Skull Kid has opened a portal in the city to permit movement of the rebellion forces between here and the Arbiter’s Grounds.” Veran answered as she manifested from the ether with her dark magic.

Sable nodded as she headed out of the chamber “Great, I’ll go get some supplies for us.”

Iris suggested as she followed and went in the opposite direction “I reckon we should find a nice room to rest in. I’ll go scout one now!”

Ganondorf frowned at Veran, disliking how many secrets she withheld them everyone. “And this Skull Kid is?”

 “Just an old friend… who can distort reality.”

 “And we haven’t seen him because?”

 “He was busy keeping the remains of the Lost Woods alive. It’s because of him that native Hylian flora still exists.” Veran confidently remarked “Since Link defeated the Sage of Forest, he’s been a little less busy.” She pinched Ganondorf’s cheek “See, I told you everything would fall into place.”

He swatted her hand away “I still don’t understand how you know all these things. You’ve never told me who you are other than a sorceress with knowledge beyond that of a mortal mind.”

She tilted her head and chirped back “Well, you’re close there.”

Nabooru intervened diplomatically “Anyway, shall we just take it one step at a time. We should rest before we challenge Bellum.”

Ganondorf was enthusiastic with this realisation “Right, we’ve got him cornered now. He’s powerless now that his Sages are dead.”

 “Hey guys! The barracks look really good! Let’s move Onox there.” Iris shouted as she ran past the doorway. She went to check in on her comrade, when she turned the corner Sable had already returned.

Sable remained by Onox’s side, sitting on the floor next to him and propped up against the wall. She had helped him out of his vambraces and pauldrons, keeping the pieces of his armour close. “Take it easy! You’re going to choke!” she warned as Onox feasted on the contents of the sack she had brought with her. He was like a starved dog, the rest of the world fading to obscurity as he ate the various breads and cured meats carried to him.

Iris interrupted “I found a spot for us to rest. You two able to come along yet?”

Sable raised an eyebrow at Onox who gave her a look before he resumed eating “Maybe in a while.”

 “Alright, meet you in the barracks on the lower western wing of the castle.”

Veran eyed her apprentices while Nabooru, Ganondorf and Impa began to make their way towards the barracks. She smiled at the sight of them; despite their different paths they always seemed willing to help each other. She had to admit they were the most promising and adept students she had ever agreed to teach ancient magic to. Feeling confident she followed after the others, knowing she would be effectively guarding all of them while they rested. There was excitement among them; of finally being able to challenge Bellum yet there was also dread. Fear loomed over every one of them as they realised they did not know what to expect from such a foe. Dealing with the Sages and the changes to Hyrule had defied every natural law of the land. What exactly did the instigator of such pandemonium have in store for them?

 

* * *

 

 

The numb slumber was slowly lifting from Zelda’s mind. She began to feel senses, like her body was responding to the corporeal realm. For so long she had felt like she was in a familiar dream from before she existed as a person. The gentle wave of light and darkness caressed her ethereal essence while she watched the astral bodies of fantastic beings dance through the abyss. Although now she could not recall such a magnificent sight as reality smothered the dream from the recollection of existence.

She stared up at the ceiling of her chamber, no longer pristine and ornate having been ravaged by neglect and war. Sitting up in her bed, she only saw another figure in the chamber. He was a giant among men with silver white hair. His face was branded by an ancient, brutal mask of blue and red patterns. Milky eyes were blank yet he was staring right at her. His form was wreathed in armour as black as night moulded to fit him perfectly. A giant sword remained sheathed by the fire place, unlike anything Zelda had ever seen.

Since she was young, she had always been gifted with the ability to sense magic from Nayru. When she gazed upon the warrior before her, all she could see was a forbidden magic that was foreign to Hyrule. Darkness, the dying of a world balanced with the light of a new dawn collided in his aura. That hat that held his hair back, she knew that hat. She tentatively asked “Link? Is that really you?”

He nodded back “Yes… do I frighten you?”

 “You look so different, it does scare me.” She admitted, tugging at her covers a little more “There’s something about you now, like you’re no longer blessed by the Goddesses.”

He decided not to speak fully of the transformation, particularly what had become of the Master Sword. Instead Link explained “I needed to draw on different magic in order to fight against Bellum… he can’t be bested by the Triforce.”

 “Ridiculous, the Triforce is a gift from the Goddesses themselves. It can do anything you wish it to. I’m sure if we found it in the Sacred Realm we co-”

 “We can’t use the Triforce. Bellum is far too powerful to be challenged by the Triforce so I needed to seek the help of a deity that was even stronger than him.”

Zelda nervously laughed to herself “Can’t use the Triforce, how ludicrous. The benevolence of the Goddesses would never leave Hyrule.”

Link fell silent, unsure of what to say that could convince her otherwise. Zelda appeared adamant about the old ways of Hyrule. He still held onto such ways to an extent but acknowledged a harsh truth that he now said “Hyrule has entered a new age now… one where the Goddesses aren’t the only deities. Bellum started all this and changed everything, so we must finish it in a new way.”

 “No, that can’t be. I’m sure the Goddesses will help if we hold a vigil. We will pray for the power, wisdom and courage to overcome Bellum’s challenges.”

 “She’s really lost it, hasn’t she?” Veran chided as she appeared from the ether in a blur of shadows. She looked Zelda over “Nevertheless we still have use for you. So get yourself ready, we’re leaving in a few hours.”

Link stammered “So soon?”

 “The waiting is over, we take Bellum’s castle today.”

 “We?”

 “Of course, you thought you’d be fighting alone? Everyone is here to help you.” Veran smiled to him, placing a hand on his shoulder “You said it yourself, Hyrule is in a new age, you don’t need to play the lone hero anymore, little puppy.”

Zelda remained in bed as she shook her head dismissively. What manner of nightmare had she woken to?


	34. Bellum's Welcome

The blur of darkness that smothered her very being drew her into the abyss then passed as easily as drawing a curtain. Zelda blinked, adjusting to her surroundings, she was standing in the decrepit ruins of Hyrule Castle seconds ago. Now she stood at the edge of Lake Hylia, the wind howled through the desolate fields. Surrounding her was unfamiliar and discomforting company. The mysterious sorceress, Veran, appeared to have three apprentices, a deku witch, a jester brawler and a hulking revenant. She had heard their names mentioned but was overwhelmed by the reality that Ganondorf and Nabooru, prominent members of the Gerudo tribe and sworn enemies of her kingdom, were agreeing to save Hyrule in the name of their rebellion. Zelda didn’t trust any of them, it was all just a rouse to overthrow her and claim Hyrule after it had been ravaged by Bellum. Impa had assured Zelda that this was not the case, but the princess knew something was amiss.

She could no longer feel the benevolence of the Goddesses through this land. Hyrule had an innate magic from the divinity of Din, Nayru and Farore. Now that power was lost, to be replaced by something twisted by darkness and light like a plague. Zelda knew she was the only one who remained untainted so she agreed to play along, for now. She had other plans, hopefully winning over Link and Impa so they could enter the Sacred Realm and claim the Triforce.

Skull Kid bounded from a rift in reality with Tatl and Tael nearby. He waved to them, scampering over to Zelda to remark “She’s a really pretty one, I can see why Link likes her.”

Veran kindly interrupted “To the matter at hand, Skull Kid. Chatter can wait until later.”

 “Right, right,” he offered a hand to the Hylian princess “Can you please come with me? We’re just going over to that archway there.”

Zelda then noticed the strange architecture in question; made of stone yet appeared to have grown there like a plant. The organic joints were moulded with the vague shapes of eyes. She followed after the imp yet refused to take his hand, feeling this was better company than the others present. Skull Kid bounded ahead with Tatl and Tael over his shoulders. He gestured to Zelda to stop and place her hand on the archway while Tatl soared in front of her. Skull Kid raised his trumpet to play a spirited rendition of the Song of Healing while the fairies danced in unison. Zelda was shocked to see the archway react to her touch, it stirred with golden light as it shunned the darkness.

The shadows dripped from the stone, revealing it to be a plain ruin, then retreated into the waters of Lake Hylia. The lake began to churn and swirl, eventually growing into an all-consuming vortex tainted by light spirits. They wafted in the air as will-o-wisps, following the beat of Tatl and Tael. Zelda paused, seeing the others dive head first into the opened portal. Yet Impa and Link lagged behind, looking to her expectantly before following.

Tael remarked to her “It’s time to go.”

Tatl persisted “Come on! Move before it closes!”

Zelda shook her head and folded her arms over her chest, refusing to budge from her place.

Skull Kid finished playing his song, the portal would soon close again. He quickly said “Are you sure? Link went through a lot to make sure you were safe.”

 “How does him becoming an abomination have anything to do with me?”

 “Because he did it so he could save you. Why do you fear darkness so much anyway?”

 “It is evil. The Goddesses tell us so.”

 “How? Darkness is natural. From darkness we’re born and to darkness we return.” Skull Kid shrugged “Look, I can’t force you, but I think Link would really appreciate it if you came with us.”

Zelda hesitated, then reluctantly dived into the vortex with Tatl, Tael and Skull Kid. They were sent spiralling through the screaming ether as their senses were engulfed by darkness and light.

 

* * *

 

 

Primordial halls oozed foul ectoplasm and mist, originating from crevices and wayward veins that gave the structure shape. Like the archway, it was not built, it was grown. The darkness was a thick sludge that birthed life into convoluted patterns. To identify the forms embedded in the walls was a fool’s errand. The ancient mural of bodies upon bodies spoke to a distant era of extinct creatures. The only light wafted uneasily in the air as will-o-wisps that timidly hovered over the mist shrouded floors. The portal released them into a grand hallway, spiralling stairwells reminiscent of a snail’s shell twisted from impossible angles to touch the floor.

Atop what could only be assumed was the grand stairwell by the size of it; was the heart of Hyrule’s plague. Bellum stood over them in his corporeal form, the remnants of the creature he used to be before being consumed by darkness. His vaguely human form was distorted and drawn out with tendrils of shadow claws for hands. His cloak was made from long tentacles covered in eerie golden eyes. Thick carapaces and exoskeletons of unknown monsters adorned his frame as armour. The tattered robes beneath pooled like liquid darkness. Jet black hair was parted by patterns of carapace as demonic gold eyes looked down upon them.

He smirked, a grotesque grin of rotting fangs as he stared intently at Link “Welcome back, hero. I barely recognise you now. Then again, you don’t seem to recognise me.” Bellum waved his hand, vanishing in a swirl of darkness as he took the form of a familiar blue fairy. It darted around Link with a trail of sparkling light before returning to its place atop the stairwell. The shadows consumed and parted to unveil Bellum again, proudly leering “Like my trick? Such an easy way to sneak into your precious Hyrule with a physical form rather than ethereal.”

 “Where’s Navi!?” Consumed by rage, Link attempted to storm forward but was barred by Ganondorf and Nabooru. They stared him down, stopping him from taking Bellum’s taunt.

Tatl boasted to Tael “I knew there was something off about that fairy.”

 “Navi died many years ago. She served her purpose and did not have the heart to disappear in front of you.” Bellum grinned at Link, revelling in his anger and despair, “She gave you hope that she still lived… such an idiot.”

Link snarled like a rabid dog, Ganondorf and Onox had to grab before he lunged “Stop this! Why are you tormenting Hyrule!?”

 “Hyrule is the ultimate prize for deities like me. The powers, the magic that permeates this place is unimaginable.” Bellum leered, eyeing each of his opponents up to evaluate the danger they posed. The silverly threads of fate that bound every mortal could be clearly seen. Yet there was something off about Iris and Sable, their threads were mere whispers to his sight. “The Golden Goddesses strived to create a perfect world and by doing so they created an artificial form of magic. Power that defies nature, allows the manipulation of time and fate to adhere to their whims and their strange Triforce. I just took control of it for my own gain… and I like it.”

Impa stood before Zelda and Skull Kid with a defensive stance. She could see the others arming their weapons of choice. Sable and Iris stood back from the others. Apprehension showed in Sable’s stance as she withheld, to then relax when Iris touched her hand and looked to her in a knowing way. The wisdom they were privy to was lost to Impa.

Bellum laughed, clapping slightly “How about another trick? O Great Fairy, you’re not the only one with power over the weave of fate here. We can both use it as we wish thanks to the Golden Goddesses!”

Veran’s eyes widened, she frantically raised her arms to cast a counter spell. She knew it would be impossible for a mortal to resist it. Instead she snapped “Sable! Iris! Ready yourselves!”

Bellum then grasped at something in the air that manifested at his touch. Silverly threads of light and darkness, flittering without a care became grasped by his gnarled hand. He ripped at them and the sound of fabric tearing echoed in the air. Veran cast her magic to deflect the power but it was to no avail.

The fibres of fate entwined around every mortal in that chamber tightened and sliced through their flesh, blood and soul. All Veran could do was stop it from ending them by shielding them with darkness. She saw them all fall as bloodied dolls but still in one piece; their lives endangered by Bellum’s disregard for mortality.

All except Sable and Iris, who defiantly remained standing before him.

Bellum demanded to know “How? The fate woven through Hyrule by the Golden Goddesses is so powerful, one tug and you should be near death!” His eyes narrowed at them “Oh, but I see the Oni’s Fairy brought some wild cards with her.”

Iris shrugged, conjuring her magic to cloak herself in ice and flame simultaneously “We actually worked it out during our stay here and by reflecting on our own pasts. We have no lucid visions in our dreams like the others do. We have no moments of recalling memories we can’t be sure we’ve experienced. We don’t even have Hylian doppelgangers.”

 “We know exactly what we are,” Sable cracked her neck, readying herself for the brawl of her life “We’re the fate less and nothing more. We’re the souls of people who will never exist in this reality at any point in its history.”

Iris’ hands sparked with magic “So your little spells that cripple any other mortal have no power over us.”

Sable waved her gauntlets, darkness stirred near her as the pieces of Midna’s Helm were summoned from the Twilight Realm. They circled her before taking shape to cover her head and shoulders. The voices in the contained abyss united as she now understood what they collectively desired. Gold and ebony magic oozed from the helm to envelop her and change her into something new.

Bellum’s confidence wavered “Lost, fate less souls, why didn’t I see that sooner!?” He glared at Veran, who was still standing but in the middle of summoning another spell. The distorted threads of fate manifested in the air as she attempted to untangle them. “You! You did this!”

Veran teased, still focused on her spell “Of course I did. Get him while I fix the others!” She glared at Skull Kid, Tatl and Tael “Help me out here!”

Bellum narrowly evaded the twister of fire and ice that tore towards him. Iris followed through with barrage after barrage of sleet and hellfire. She had Bellum on the defensive, giving him no quarter to retaliate as he faced the wrath of the true Twinrova’s apprentice. He was too focused on dodging fire and ice that he almost failed to notice the menacing chimera about to crush him. Bellum moved with the grace of a swimming squid as he propelled himself to a safe distance. His feet stuck to the ceiling, ignoring the laws of gravity to leap over a supporting arch to avoid the blast of fire that exploded through the ceiling. Iris stood beneath him, stalking like a predator on the prowl.

Beside her was the beast Sable had become under the influence of Midna’s Helm; the chimera. The monstrosity was a combination of Dragon, Forest Fox, Fire Salamander, Ocean Tiger and Terminan. Three pairs of legs kept it upright like a centaur, the head of the Ocean Tiger perched from the neck that grew atop the helm. The Forest Fox’s face, dripping venom over gnashing mandibles, was neatly positioned upon the Terminan chest that allowed the positioning of two pairs of arms. Two long serpentine necks emerged from its shoulder blades, the heads of Dragon and Fire Salamander crowned them. Scales, fur, exoskeleton and Fused Shadow flowed as chaotic patches that coloured the beast. Its two tails thrashed erratically adorned by poison stingers and crushing spikes. Sable roared with her four heads as she launched herself at the ceiling, grabbing Bellum with her talons.

Bellum glared at Veran to see her finish her spell with the help of Skull Kid. The ebony and silver miasma radiated from her to untangle the snapped and tied threads of fate. Thus restoring the others to a position in which they could fight. He shoved Sable away and deflected yet another barrage of magic from Iris with a swirl of his tentacles. “Two can play at this game, Great Fairy! Wanderer!” he then vanished in a wink of shadows.

Veran raised her arm, signalling Iris and Sable to remain on guard. For the time being; she was more preoccupied with the wellbeing of the others. Skull Kid bounded over to Link while Tatl and Tael floated overhead. He attempted to rouse Link by tugging at his hair and shoving his shoulders.

Onox was the first to rise while the others remained on the floor. He momentarily paused, not sure if he could believe his eyes “Is that… a chimera!?”

Veran glanced back at Sable “Yes.”

 “But… how?”

 “I blame Zant.”

Flummoxed and not wanting to add to his confusion, Onox blinked, wiped his eyes and laughed nervously “Okay then…”

Ganondorf growled, nursing his head as he attempted to stand and fell over “Why do I feel so hungover!? I haven’t touched a drop in months!”

Nabooru fared better while she paced around the area “Did we just die?” She raised her scimitar and pointed it at Iris and Sable.

Iris raised her arms “Relax, it’s just us. Sable worked out how to be a chimera but we’re still on your side.”

Nabooru lowered her blades, sensing Impa at her side who had exerted the same level of caution upon awakening. Ganondorf finally made it to his feet successfully; now storming towards the stairwell where Bellum had greeted them, passing Iris and Sable with no further comments to ascend the stairs. Confusingly the doorways did not lead to passable corridors, only writhing, skittering mounds of festering flesh and twitching eyes. Not please in the slightest, he promptly descended the stairs, only remarking to calm himself “How does anyone find their way around here? In fact, where is **here** anyway? Are we inside some kind of monster?”

Link groggily rose to see Skull Kid beaming beside him. That moment had been surreal, it wasn’t just his body being harmed in that moment. The tugging of the threads of fate felt like an impossible shockwave that moved throughout the eons in both past and future; a rippling tide that crashed his frail, mortal form beneath the inescapable whims of time. He slowly crawled over to Zelda who remained on the floor of the chamber. She was shaking and holding her knees, her eyes twitched as she rocked a little, muttering “The Triforce will save us… the Goddesses will protect us…”

He wrapped an arm around her and held her close. Everything had been so rushed for Zelda; she had no time to adjust to the jarring and traumatising transformation of Hyrule. Perhaps things will be better for her once Bellum was dealt with once and for all. She would have time to grieve the losses and accept the new live that survived. All the others were more preoccupied with the moment that they overlooked Zelda’s presence. Link remained with her; he didn’t want to leave her alone now that she needed him most.

The chamber rocked erratically, large holes were smashed into the ceiling and walls to reveal the skies over Hyrule. A giant beast lost to time soared through the air like a serpent. Tentacles trailed neither solid nor liquid as they wavered in the wind. Maws lined with all manner of fangs, arms and pincers opened erratically between the cracks of the exoskeleton formed over its body. The colours of that sickly, festering yellow amidst the darkness and golden eyes heralded its allegiance.

Onox turned to Veran “I take it that we’re handling that. No one else can fly at the moment.”

 “I’m going too.” Ganondorf interrupted “Looks like a worthy foe.”

 “Last time I checked, you can’t fly.”

 “Last time **I** checked, I can ride your Dark Dragon form because I’m immune to its aura.”

Onox glanced at Veran who nodded at him, he let out a disgruntled sigh, never liking the idea of being reduced to a mount while shape shifted. He leapt out of the safety of the grand hall, transforming into the Dark Dragon as shadows danced across his form. He stretched his wings to stop his descent, feeling a thud on his shoulders as Ganondorf landed on him. Veran soared nearby, now in her true form as the Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm. Tael hovered by her shoulder, as a fairy of darkness he was safe around Onox too. Veran was now twice as tall as Ganondorf and looked more like an avatar of darkness rather than a solid creature. They made haste towards their opponent in the sky.

A second quake forced the chamber to divide again, this time revealing cracks in the floor leading deep into a shadowy abyss. A nightmarish horror was obscured by darkness yet those golden eyes stared blankly back. Skull Kid readied his lantern that glowed with a pale moonlight; Tatl perched on the brim of his hat. His gaze met the others “Who’s coming with me?”

Iris and Sable stood forward followed by Impa and Nabooru. Their silent consensus had decreed the formations for these battles. Skull Kid led the way as he bounded into the abyss bellow; Sable quickly scooped up the others in her arms to keep them all together before following.

The silence of the chamber was short lived when the cacophony of screams began to emanate from the sky above and abyss bellow. The screams were not normal; they were distorted and made by mouths that were not meant to create sound. Sounding inhuman and alien to his ears, Link made sure to cover Zelda’s so she wouldn’t slip further into despair.

Bellum’s voice called out “I love Hyrule! Where else can I force my opponents to fight my past, present and future selves simultaneously.”

Link hesitated for a moment, then rose from Zelda’s side. He armed the Helix Blade for what he hoped would be a final time. “I will end you.”


	35. Bellum's Fall

The land below them was swallowed by the maelstrom. As Bellum’s monstrous form swam through the sky, the ether of the air corrupted into the darkest of magic. The sky bled a galaxy of suffocating stars overhead while the world bellow sank into oblivion. The inhuman screech heralded Bellum’s lunge forward towards Veran and Onox. The flying serpentine body was oozing foul puss with trails of flesh messily trailing behind the freshly grown exoskeleton of chitin plates and webbed fins. The mouths of this abomination were a series of fanged maws within one another like babushka dolls. Ghostly tendrils flowed from around its lips like the skirt of a jellyfish.

Veran unleashed a barrage of piercing ribbons of twilight from a flap of her wings, folding them around her body to create a shield as Bellum attempted to ensnare her. Onox swerved to the side avoiding the writhing tentacles that sprouted randomly from Bellum’s body; ripping through any extremities as he soared as the Dark Dragon. Ganondorf remaining perched on Onox’s head, carefully watching the massive creature’s form for any sign of a weakness.

He noticed the deviations in Bellum’s chitinous plate exoskeleton. How they moved and parted to unveil diseased golden eyes weeping ectoplasm. While focused on observing his foe, Ganondorf failed to notice the sweeping strikes of tentacles aimed right at them. Onox dove in an attempt to draw them away while Veran kept up the barrage of magical spells. Ganondorf had no choice but to leap towards Bellum’s body to avoid decapitation and a gruesome impalement. He held on for dear life as the abomination spiralled to erratically ascend and descend within the sky. The combined dual attacks from Veran and Onox kept Bellum distracted and on the defensive; yet frustratingly no one’s defence was being breached. Ganondorf felt like the tips of his fingers were stuck in something gelatinous. He cringed, finally looking up to see what he had grabbed when the creature was somewhat upright. An infected, weeping eye stared back at him as he clung to Bellum’s eye socket.

From this vantage point he realised something; Bellum was too massive to even notice his presence. The various golden eyes were more fixated on the others. Immediately Ganondorf manipulated this fact, he drew one of his greatswords to slash the eye before him. He closed his eyes and held his breath as the eruption of vitreous humour washed over him. Inwardly cringing at his slime coated body, he persevered to continue onwards. There were a lot of eyes to slash and a lot of Bellum to stab. Ganondorf began to scale Bellum like he was climbing a ragged cliff. The wind cut past him as he saw the sky twist and tumble from the monster’s turns. Veran and Tael soared past with a graceful ease casting a shadow shield around Ganondorf to protect him and distort gravity, allowing for an easier ascent. Onox crash tackled into the lower tail, ripping away a third of Bellum’s disjointed body with his gnashing teeth and razor talons. Ganondorf continued onward, knowing the head of this creature was the true target.

 

* * *

 

 

The silver moonlight that emanated from Skull Kid’s lantern parted the ancient miasma. They had descended into the cradle of life where creatures were born from the depths of abyss; pure darkness that was never to be greeted by the light let alone become twilight. Tatl’s natural affinities also helped them stay safe as she perched on Impa’s shoulder. It was difficult to tell where they were, the flickering light revealed large vine like structures solidify and gather. They snaked and crawled up the invisible walls as lattices to create a forest labyrinth of formless tubes. Impa delicately manoeuvred along the thick vines, large enough to be considered tree trunks, her light steps were soundless as she continued to watch the groups’ backs. Sable stepped on a larger vine, her chimera form easily crushing them underfoot; the cracked vine revealed a putrid smelling black liquid and further added to the miasma. Iris and Nabooru were thankful to be on higher ground, riding on Sable’s chimera body as they ventured deeper into the unknown, in search of the monster they heard.

Abruptly, Skull Kid cartwheeled back to them, his lantern rattling in his hand. He shakily raised it to shine light ahead of him. He took a deep breath, raising his trumpet to his lips as he blew a few wailing notes. The sound roused puppets of shadow and straw from the ether; they levitated forwards to draw the monster out. A slimy limb lunged forward, caught one of the puppets and whipped back into the shadows like a frog’s tongue catching a fly. The amoebic entity oozed along the ceiling, partially wrapped around numerous vines. It began to bubble and shift forward, a frail humanoid shape that crowned the twitching mass of slime and flesh. The creature was confused by what shape to take so it was all shapes and possibilities at once. Yet the same golden eyes stared blankly in all directions.

Nabooru dry retched “That thing is Bellum?”

Impa armed her kodachi, aware of the cramped surroundings that made a katana difficult to wield effectively “At least some form of him.”

 “Any ideas on how to kill a blob? I don’t see any nucleus we can destroy.”

Skull Kid continued to buy them time, constantly summoning various puppets to add to the misdirection of his erratic teleportation. He jested and played the fool despite the life threatening circumstances; tumbling like an acrobat to avoid every sickening lurch forward and clumsy, awkward movement.

Impa noticed something about the movements “It’s the slime that’s controlling it, not the pieces lodged in it.”

Nabooru, Sable and Iris looked closer, noticing how the amoeba of shadow and slime moved with autonomy while the pieces caught in it remained mostly static like the prey of a spider’s web. The erratic twitching of illogical limbs were spasms, not controlled movements.

Iris conjured fire and ice in her hands “Let’s see whether freezing or burning is an option.” She glanced to Nabooru and Impa “Keep your distance, we’ll have a better idea of what’s going on once we get rid of all that gunk.”

Nabooru climbed down from Sable’s back, the chimera roared and charged forward with Iris still riding her. Iris launched fireballs and spikes of ice at the amoeba; the ice was engulfed immediately by the slime while the fire immediately fizzled out upon contact. Sable breathed fire, hoping the strength of a Dragon and Fire Salamander would be strong enough but received the same result. She swerved to avoid being touched by the foul blob. Out of frustration she spat a wad of venom from a Forest Fox unto the creature. The amoeba let out a garbled screech as its viscous body dissolved partially from the acidic poison. A wayward fireball from Iris ignited the toxin; erupting into silver fire that made Bellum screech and try to flee.

Sable and Iris made chase, spitting venom and igniting the lingering traces on Bellum’s slimy body. Skull Kid maintained his disorientating performance to keep Bellum’s movements controlled to what was advantageous to them. Slowly the gelatinous layers were stripped away, revealing a large larva with squirming tentacles to help it move. Its rubbery tarred hide was littered with gold eyes. Bellum saw Nabooru and Impa advance from the shadows, blades in hand.

 

* * *

 

 

Link was thankful that Bellum paid no attention to Zelda. He did not know how long that would last though so he did everything in his power to keep his opponent’s attention. The boon gifted to him by the Oni, allowing him to take the form of the Fierce Deity without a mask, was definitely needed. Bellum faced him in a somewhat Hylian shape, yet his arms birthed scythes and blades of bones making him a dangerous swordsman. The power of Helix Blade had already sliced a few of the clumsier limbs away; still there were many more, Link could not be bothered counting. All he knew was that Bellum wanted to murder him and Zelda, and that he was the only one who could stop the primal deity.

Bellum remained calm and collected the entire time, he continued to move with the skill of a master swordsman. Without showing fatigue he casually remarked “I like the changes you’ve made to yourself. You’ve returned to what you’re meant to be.”

Link cut another three arms cleanly away, the darkness of Bellum’s cloak bubbled to create four more to replace them. He snarled back “And what is that?”

 “You are a creature of darkness and light… I do not understand why you fear darkness. It is natural. It is organic. It is what allows light to exist. It is a part of all living things.”

 “It is evil.”

 “By who’s standards? The Golden Goddesses were pious, abominations of the Twilight Realm. They shunned the darkness they embodied to become beings of pure light. They are the monsters of this world, not the creatures you fear.”

Link paused, seeing the various tentacles and arms swarm around him. He recalled his training from Ikana and sheathed his blade.

Bellum took no notice “I understand the Oni’s interest in stopping me, it has always been a stickler for order and what I’ve been doing is rather chaotic. So I accept the natural order and face you as my equal. To be honest I haven’t had this much fun since I took over Termina.” He let out a sigh, sensing the near demises of his alternate forms. He winced, bleeding black ooze as he was inflicted with their mortal wounds. “I fear this reverie cannot last forever.”

Link then drew his blade, catching Bellum by surprise as he performed a spin attack. The Helix Blade magnified his inner aura, empowering his strike with boon of Twilight. Vortexes and beams of light and darkness combined into amber magic that decimated Bellum from all angles. His corporeal form was ripped asunder.

When the magic cleared, Link saw Bellum’s shattering form before him. The ancient, primal deity laughed “Well played. Well played indeed… I hope we get to fight again…”

Bellum shattered into oblivion; banished to the depths of the Twilight Realm from whence he came.

 

* * *

 

 

Link heard the harmonious Song of Healing echo in the air. He stood on the pillar amidst the eternal sea of clouds. The silhouettes of the Four Giants stood in the distance; in silent contemplation and observance. A fifth giant rose in the distance, still obscured by clouds, yet the markings on its body were instantly recognisable. Link knew it was the Oni. He then looked around to see Zelda and Veran present on that pillar with him.

The Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm curtly informed “Everyone is safe. They’re on the shore of Lake Hylia waiting for us to join them.”

 “What is this!? This is not the Sacred Realm!” Zelda frantically clambered to her knees, hyperventilating as she screeched “Din! Nayru! Farore! Protect me! Save me from this nightmare!” She blinked, nervously looking to her hands then clawing at her face “I can’t sense them anymore! They’ve forsaken Hyrule! We’re all doomed!”

 “You can’t know that!” Veran towered over the dishevelled princess “The Goddesses have left Hyrule, they were probably afraid it was contaminated like Termina was. But Hyrule isn’t doomed to extinction! Like Termina, Hyrule can regenerate, Hyrule will survive.”

 “We are! I can’t sense any of my magic anymore!”

 “So what!? You can rebuild! Start again as individuals rather than pieces of a cruel game.”

 “But the Triforce c-”

 “You are free of that curse!”

Zelda broke down in tears, bawling and wailing as her mind failed to comprehend the situation.

Veran shook her head and shrugged “What is wrong with you!? We’ve won! We’ve beaten Bellum and saved Hyrule. You should be happy.”

Zelda howled “No! The Goddesses! The Triforce! We’re doomed!”

Link had remained silent, watching the love of his life fall further into the insanity of despair. He heard the Oni speak “I can abolish this timeline completely.” Link looked to the silhouette in the distance. “I can give you a chance to rewrite Bellum’s demise in Hyrule. I can give you another chance.”

Link hesitantly asked “Why would you?”

 “Because unlike the Golden Goddesses, I acknowledge and reward my conduits.”

 “You do realise, that if you choose to return in time, all this would never have happened.” Veran appeared before him defiantly “All your powers will be gone as you never performed the rites of ascension. Hyrule will remain unchanged. The various tribes and people of Hyrule will never unite under one banner. Ganondorf, Nabooru, Impa, they will never cooperate or become the true heroes they were born to be. Sable, Onox and Iris will never learn the same powers again. Skull Kid will forget that he is the Wanderer… a lot is riding on your decision, Link.”

Link cast his eyes to Zelda who was still a sobbing heap on the ground. “I love her… it kills me to see her like this.”

Veran assured “With your help she could recover and learn to live in the new Hyrule.”

He shook his head “No, she won’t.”

 “So that’s it? You’re going to throw everything away, just because a woman who never acknowledged you is having a panic attack?” Veran raised her hand to silence him “Has she ever told you that she loves you? Is the feeling even mutual!?”

 “No… but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m the Hero of Time and she’s the chosen of the Goddesses.”

 “But you don’t have to be.” Veran let out a frustrated growl, her aura strengthening as she menacingly loomed over him “Don’t you get it!? You will be subjected to a life of misery by fate, forgotten by Hyrule and never recognised as a hero because you’re the Oni’s reincarnation who happens to be the Hero of Time for this era. The Golden Goddesses will **never** let you have a happy ending with Zelda by your side!” She reminded him “With this future, you have a chance at being with Zelda. Like actually **being** with her because you both choose to be. Not because fate has hastily tied you together on a whim.”

 “I’ve made my choice,” Link turned to the Oni’s silhouette “Return me to a point in time where I can stop Bellum.”

 “As you wish.” The Oni drew the Helix Blade, now giant and celestial in composition, it arced up to slice through the fabric of time and space.

 “Once a worthless lapdog, always a worthless lapdog.” Veran reached into her chest to pull out a dark crystal with amber veins. She forced it into Link’s hands, hissing venom at him “I will not let you ruin everything for me and my friends!”

The cut was made with a flash of light before falling into eternal darkness.


	36. Link's return

_In the abyss of the Twilight Realm, Veran floated before the Oni. The Primal Deity she followed and in turn acted as its eyes in the mortal realm. Great Fairies were created to be observers of the deities and to be the oracles to mortals. In all her lives, she had never felt so conflicted, finally uttering “Why did you give him such an offer?”_

_“I wanted to test him.” The Oni answered “He is my mortal reincarnation and he is the Hero of Time for this era… I wanted to see if he was different from the other Heroes… that maybe because of my presence he could break free of such a ridiculously heavy burden.”_

_“He is, no other mortal could have shattered Hyrule’s timeline into pieces or saved Hyrule from the wrath of the Man Eater.” Veran tilted her head at it “So, how did he do with your test?”_

_The Oni sighed deeply and solemnly said “He failed. He could only see the world through the curse of the Triforce… he cannot be saved.”_

_“What do you want me to do now?”_

_“If you wish to help him, then do so.” The Oni went to its knees begging its Great Fairy “I am deeply sorry. I cannot restore that timeline for I can only destroy. I am not worthy of your forgiveness.”_

_“I know and that is what hurts most of this situation. Nevertheless, I will always be your fairy.” Veran admitted as she took that moment to warp back into the reality of the mortal coil._

 

* * *

 

The familiar rhythm of the Clock Tower roused his senses. The musty smell of mildew and rust teased his nostril. The running water turned the mechanisms of the clock with the mighty groan of a giant. Link suddenly felt himself placed abruptly back into the ruins beneath the ancient turret. He blinked, realising that one his eyes was still blind. Shakily he moved his arms, holding them in front of him for closer inspection. A dark crystal remained in one of his hands, prompting the lucid recollection of Veran’s menacing warning before the timeline reset.

 “Link?” Skull Kid asked, tugging at his arm. His face was back to a featureless weave of shadows and straw. Tatl and Tael perched on the rim of his hat like they always did. Sable, Iris and Onox looked on with silent curiosity regarding his abrupt halt and why he now held a crystallised shadow.

Veran shoved past them, snatching the gem from Link’s hand as she snarled “You idiot! How could you make such a hasty decision!?”

He then realised how pathetic he sounded as he said “Zelda needed me to.”

 “You threw away everything! A time for your land to enter a new era of enlightenment, but NO! You just wanted to take care of an outdated relic of a princess with pathetic coping skills.” Veran spat at him, then turned her back “You worthless Triforce thug!”

He stood his ground “But I love her! I couldn’t take seeing her like that and as I was, she would never love me.”

 “And your selfish desires of lust are worth destroying countless lives! Think of how many people were changed, what they became capable of in that era… and you had the gall to take it from them on a hasty decision!?”

 “You’re just a Great Fairy! What would you even know of emotions and love!?”

 “More than you, clearly. You sacrifice an entire realm for the chance to be with a woman who will never love you the way you love her! You had your chances to tell her how you felt and you never took them. Men like you are pathetic cretins that should be killed for the good of the species!”

Iris tried to defend Link “Whoa, Veran, calm down! You’re being way too harsh!”

Onox reminded “We don’t even know what he did. We haven’t even made it to Hyrule yet.”

Sable was more intrigued by the gem in hand “What’s the deal with that crystal anyway?”

 “Why don’t I just show you, it’ll be quicker.” Veran conjured the power within, shattering the gem into shadowy fragments that exploded around them like stars. As quickly as it burst, the pieces of darkness quickly returned to their true owners as they became one with the other Terminans in the chamber.

Skull Kid took pause noticing the change of clothes, his hands clambered to his mask like face as the memories of his godhood returned. Tatl and Tael were stunned for a moment then resumed fluttering around with excitement. They crashed into Skull Kid, the closest action a fairy could do that translated to a hug.

Link watched as the possible sense of friendship he had with Sable, Iris and Onox vanished to be replaced with disgust. Sable spoke first with a cold hatred “You abolished that timeline? We fought our guts out for you, to save you **and** your homeland… and you just wrote it off without a second thought!?”

 “Do you really think that low of us!?” Iris practically ignited as her rage bubbled “That we’re just so beneath you because we’re followers of Darkness!? That anything we do is unworthy of being permitted to even exist!?”

Onox held them back, placing his hands on Sable’s shoulder and Iris’ fire mane. He did not wince as her flames burned through his thick leather glove and started to char his flesh. Instead he glared at Link, with the eyes of a dragon patriarch, smoke escaping his mouth as he said “We’re leaving. He isn’t worthy of our help. He is far too selfish and immature for any semblance of responsibility.”

Sable dusted his hand off, she snarled at Link as she walked past “True, we can’t pick up after you all the time, kid. Find yourself some other idiots to protect you.”

Tatl floated before Link “You do realise I looked up to you… being all hero-like and everything… now… now I just don’t know.” She floated after Sable, Iris and Onox as they began to climb up the wooden and stone walkways to return to Clock Town.

 “Wait a minute, please don’t leave yet.” Skull Kid bounded after them “Link may not appreciate you, but I do… will you help me fight Bellum?”

Onox retorted “Why do you want to fight him?”

 “Uh… well…”

 “You just want to fight Bellum because Link is still your friend… even though I don’t understand why.”

Iris sighed, seeing the desperation on the deity’s face “Think about it Skull Kid, he wanted you to forget who you were.”

Link protested “That’s not fair!”

 “How am I not being fair? You made the choice without considering the consequences.”

Sable shook her head at Link “If Veran hadn’t preserved our collective memories in that crystal we would’ve been oblivious and unchanged. Our time in Hyrule let us grow as people, but no. You don’t see that. All you care about is your stupid princess.”

Onox interrupted, his voice rose above the others “It is pointless to discuss with this fool, I would recommend that we keep walking.”

Sable and Iris fell silent, giving Link a final glare before retreating to the streets on the surface. Tatl followed them as well yet Tael and Skull Kid lingered at the ancient door. Link felt that he needed to explain himself, but the words failed him as he realised they were right; they were also right to hate him because of it. Skull Kid knocked on the stone door, causing it to open, with lantern in hand he gestured Link to travel the dark road ahead. Miasma from the ghosts of fate haunted the air.

He took one final look back at Veran who continued to glare at him with her arms folded over her chest. She growled at him “Remember, you’re the one who chose this timeline.”

Alone, he walked through the misty forests to return to Hyrule.

 

The churning gears of the Clock Tower continued to echo around them. They hesitated before the heavy doors leading to the southern district of Clock Town. Onox was a step ahead of them; he turned to face Sable, Iris and Tatl. He could see it on their faces, the concern, the fear, it was unmistakable. He took a wild stab in the dark as to what they were concerned about “Skull Kid?”

They all nodded back to him.

He then let out a sigh “Yeah, I can’t remember any tales about the Wanderer being a combat based deity.” He passed by them to return to the doorway leading down “Alright, we go because we care about Skull Kid.”

They followed after him, descending the path to find Veran, Tael and Skull Kid before the open doorway. Skull Kid bounced with delight over this development as he skipped ahead into the forests between the boundaries of reality.

 

* * *

 

 

Upon emerging in the Lost Woods, Link wasted no time, he quickly left the dense, verdant forests to return to Hyrule Field. The familiar sight of the lush grasslands made him feel at ease. The smell of rain carried on the gentle breeze that playfully ruffled anything it flowed over. It had not yet been mutated beyond recognition by Bellum’s plague. He could still save this land and keep it at its original state of beauty. The grasses nearby held a unique plant he had discovered on his travels. The seeds of a particular plant blossomed into hollow horseshoe shaped shells that made a distinct whistle when blown. From travelling through Holodrum he had learned they allowed him to call Epona, no matter how far away they were. He picked one of the seeds in question and blew a shrieking cry. Epona galloped towards him with the wind at her back at the sound of its song. Link mounted her and made haste towards Castle Town.

Night had fallen by the time Link arrived at Hyrule Castle. He rode Epona past the patrolling guards, ignoring their protests and curses as he nearly knocked them over. Dismounting quickly to then charge through the royal halls of the Hylian monarchy in search of Zelda; he was a man with a mission that could not be distracted. The paintings and tapestries on the wall became a blur although the figures contained within stared at him in silent condemnation. Link was determined not to let this disaster befall Hyrule a second time; he would have to become that abomination again in order to fight Bellum. He would have to watch Zelda unravel into despair and insanity all over again.

He did not even notice Impa calling his name as she ran alongside him. At the moment she was the only one capable of keeping pace with him. Finally he arrived at the royal library where Zelda sat near the fireplace with Navi flying overhead. The towers of shelves housing ancient and modern tomes felt more ominous as the light of the fire flickered erratically across the walls. Although he could not see it before, he saw it now. Even though Navi floated by Zelda, he could see Bellum’s twisted shadow splayed over the floor. Link stormed forward, taking Zelda’s hand and putting himself between her and Navi as he drew his sword.

Navi laughed, her gentle upbeat voice became twisted with malice “I can’t believe you opted for a retry… you’re not even worthy of fighting me as you are.”

Link stood his ground “I will end you before you can hurt Hyrule.”

 “With that piece of sharpened iron? Seriously!? You do remember who I am, right? What? Couldn’t even be bothered getting the Master Sword?” Navi dove into the ground, revealing Bellum’s more humanoid shape looking most unimpressed. Zelda screamed from fear while Impa drew her blades and stood ready to attack.

Link still remained defiant even though he realised that in his haste he had forgotten to equip himself adequately “Bellum, you will not destroy our lives!”

 “Improved, the word you’re looking for is improved.” Bellum seemed a little too relaxed for someone with multiple blades aimed at them. “To be honest, the Sages are still in the process of regenerating in their new, glorious forms and I haven’t had a chance to fortify myself in this realm.” He smirked playfully “But I think I can still take you.” He reached up like he did before, tugging on the silver strings of fate that became visible to his touch “Remember this? You don’t have the Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm or the Wanderer to help you this time.” He giggled, pulling the strings a little tighter.

Link, Zelda and Impa felt themselves restrained like marionettes to a puppeteer. Bellum hummed under his breath as he watching them struggle against the lines of fate that permeated mortality.  “Yeah, is this timeline really any better? Did you honestly think you even had any chance of beating me as you are?” He laughed “Well, at least you get to die alongside your creepy little crush.”

Bellum pulled the strings…


	37. The Legacy of the Triforce

The castle then rocked erratically, cracks formed in the walls as towers of books fell to the ground in fluttering heap. Bellum lost hold of the strings, by the Goddesses’ mercy they were not killed or mortally wounded by his influence. He snarled as a wall of flames barred him from advancing further. Marionettes of shadow and straw appeared on mass to rush towards Bellum. Link immediately swept Zelda up in his arms while Impa followed his lead. They fled the castle as it crumbled to pieces and tore away in pieces at the hands of monstrous talons and limbs. They left the castle just in time to watch it crumble into ruins. In a matter of seconds, the legacy of the Hylian royal family was reduced to worthless stones.

Zelda was in tears, seeing the cause of such destruction came in the form of a dragon, a chimera, an evil Great Fairy and two deranged puppets. She buried her face in Link’s chest as she bawled. Link knew them to be Onox, Sable, Veran, Iris and Skull Kid. Why they were here was anyone’s guess. He made eye contact with Veran who simply raised a hand and signalled him to stop. The wrath in that permeated every fibre of her being forbade him from attempting to help them. Link was relegated to the sidelines with Zelda while Impa took command of the guards to contain the area and evacuate the denizens of Castle Town to the safety of Kakariko Village.

For the first time in his life, Link felt utterly powerless. He finally understood what it was like to be a random townsfolk; moved to the side as fodder while an evil beyond comprehension was free to do as it pleased. He watched the barrages and arcane pandemonium of the battle. Bellum had mutated into a plague ridden abominable titan of tentacles and exoskeletons. Veran, Iris and Skull Kid combined their powers over darkness, fire, ice and illusions to hinder and damage Bellum. They also granted various boons and shields to one another for the sake of protection or increasing possible damage from attacks. Sable as the chimera and Onox as the Dark Dragon were the fighters, moving in close with impossible speed to shred through Bellum’s body.

The destruction rained as spells were slung wayward, destroying parts of the city nearby. The physical blows between Bellum, Sable and Onox tore the earth beneath them. There was no choice if they wanted to survive. All of Castle Town had to flee. People ran for their lives as they scattered into the fields. They didn’t care which direction they ran, as long as it was the opposite of the monstrous battle unfolding. In the midst of the carnage, Link found himself renewed. Even if the world fell around them, he could still protect Zelda regardless of divine intervention. While she was stunned by the sudden changes in the world around them, he was there to guide her to safety.

As they fled, Zelda suddenly shoved away from Link, she ran through the streets of the collapsing Castle Town. Link immediately followed after her as she led him right back to the Temple of Time. By the Goddesses’ mercy, it still stood in defiance of the chaotic maelstrom that had engulfed everything. Within the white marble stone halls, the eerie serenity permeated their very beings. The chants of the Sages emanated through the air; the ancient beings were attending to their prayers in the Sacred Realm, invisible to the eyes of mere mortals. The altar stood before the Door of Time that led to the chamber that held the Master Sword. All was in its place.

Link felt uneasy in this place where in the past it had comforted him. Now the chants sounded ominous and the brightness of the chamber hurt his eyes a little. He glanced at the back of his hand, expecting to see the triangular mark faintly on his skin. It was now gone. He felt no benevolence or comfort here, only judgement to be followed by swift punishment. The memory of Veran’s words stang with the realisation that he had lost the favour of the Golden Goddesses. He was a hero, but not the one they sought to protect Zelda and the Triforce.

Zelda ran forward to the altar, her panicked steps made her trip on the red rug that lined the floor and united the altar to the entrance. She was helped up by Link who asked shakily “Why are you here? We need to leave Castle Town.”

 “I know that the Goddesses will help us.” She gestured to the Terminan Hero’s Bow on his back “If I can just get them to gift me the power of Light Arrows I can drive those monsters away.”

The temple groaned while the doorway was torn open by four sets of claws. Four monstrous heads looked in as the chimera loomed forward. Zelda was frightened, snatching Link’s bow from his back, the back of her hand glowed with the golden crest of the Triforce. Even though she had no arrows, a beam of light formed in her hand as she drew the bow. She unleashed a barrage of holy magic with a single shot. They cut through the chimera, shattering the Fused Shadow helm into pieces to end the transformation. Zelda stepped forward as the darkness congealed and the monster shrank.

 “These things… they’re a magic relic for channelling darkness.” She noted, poking the dislodged pieces with her shoe. The runic marks were familiar; something she had seen in ancient books. “There was a time when Hylians channelled light the same way… Perhaps Hyrule should return to the technology of the sky people…”

Link held her back, eyeing the Fused Shadow “Just don’t touch that thing. It might corrupt you.”

 “Of course, darkness always corrupts.”

 “No, I mean, you’re not trained in magic like that. You wouldn’t be able to control it.”

 “As no one should be, it is forbidden by decree of the Goddesses.”

The darkness finally cleared to reveal Sable unconscious on the floor. One quarter of the Midna’s Helm was still on her head as she bled out. Her body was torn by the barrage of Light Arrows.

 “See, darkness corrupts. This poor girl is beyond saving, her blood has even putrefied.”

Skull Kid called as he bounded around the corner “Hey! It’s all safe here! Bellum is gone now!” He froze at the sight of Link and Zelda over Sable’s mutilated body.

 “I saw a huge light show over here, what happened?” Onox fell silent as he stood beside Skull Kid. A storm brewed on his face, the movements of his eyes told Link that he had already grasped an accurate perspective of the situation. Link instinctively stood before Zelda, raising his sword shakily, he did not want to fight a shape shifter.

Skull Kid nervously trembled “Is she?”

 “She’s still breathing.” Onox quietly raged over and swept Sable into his arms.

Zelda raised the bow again “Not another step, you foul fiend!”

Onox made a face like he was watching someone urinate in public. He shook his head at Link and spat in his general direction. He then left the temple without a word with Skull Kid in tow. Neither of them could look back nor even say farewell to Link. Zelda ran out into the street but saw that as quickly as the monsters came; they had left. The evidence of their battle was all around as Castle Town had been demolished in the process.

Link approached her, carrying the three remaining pieces of Midna’s Helm. He nervously said “We can’t leave these where anyone can find them.”

Zelda nodded “I agree, I can sense the dark magic from here, I will entrust these pieces to the three tribes of Hyrule. They will protect them as they have protected the Spiritual Stones for generations.” She heard the overcast sky groan as the heavens opened with a gentle rain. “The evil has passed and we are safe. I will lead Hyrule as its Queen into a new era.”

Link followed beside her as they made their way through the destroyed city “How do you plan to do that?”

 “I will usher in a new era of divinity by permitting the use of sky folk magic. You’ll see, everyone will be able to defend themselves with such power and we will be bettered for using it.”

 “Sky folk?”

 “It’s a lesser known tale, only the royal family speaks of it. There was a time when the chosen of the Goddesses lived in a city floating in the sky. Their magic and technology was driven by the power of light… I believe we can resurrect it.” She looked to the Fused Shadows “If darkness can be channelled, then so too can light.”

Link smiled at Zelda, seeing her back to her usual spirited and wise self. They travelled the long road to Kakariko Village to be reunited with the survivors. They did not speak of the giant knight who took the jester woman at the Temple of Time. Instead they regaled the story of slaying a chimera. Link paused for a moment, considering the motive for the Terminans’ intervention, yet just remained thankful they came to defeat Bellum.

 

* * *

 

The sun rose over Gerudo Desert, the shattered remains of their once proud tribe were now scattered to the wind. Arbiter’s Grounds smugly squatted in the sea of dunes; taking the place of the peaceful oasis and Spirit Temple as a final insult to the fall of the Gerudo. The fallen king, Ganondorf, was taken before the monolith on the roof of this prison for his execution. Six pillars circled that rooftop, each bearing the crest of a Sage. He was in chains and ragged from imprisonment, but not broken in the slightest. He stood tall in defiance of the ethereal Sages who floated before him. His limbs restrained by metal used to weigh down monsters; yet he still glared at their hollow mask eyes.

Behind the Sages stood the Mirror of Twilight; some ancient relic the Hylian royal family was clearly afraid of. Why else would something so valuable looking remain in a dungeon as far away from the palace as possible? The ghostly forms of floating robes and masks over invisible bodies were the only form the Sages could take beyond the Sacred Realm. Each was equipped with an elegant long sword, imbued with the light of the Goddesses. Ganondorf knew they meant to impale him with every blade to end him.

The Sage of Water moved first, thrusting the sword so it cut through Ganondorf’s heart. The Sword of the Sages remained impaled through his chest as his breath and heartbeat slowed. To be brought so close to death woke a power dormant in Ganondorf. Golden light shone from the back of his hand as the crest for the Triforce of Power appeared. The Sages cowered in terror; had the Goddesses forsaken them for permitting their power to be used by such a monster?

Ganondorf tore the chains from his arms with a flex; proceeded to remove the Sword of the Sages from his chest and returned the attack inflicted upon him. The Sage of Water was cut down with ease; vanishing into a hollow mask. The pillar with the crest of water cracked and broke as its divine connection was severed.

Before Ganondorf could continue his killing spree, the other Sages conjured the power of the Mirror of Twilight. A monochrome portal to the mysterious Twilight Realm opened on the monolith. Its vortex strength finally dragged Ganondorf into it. As death could not stop him, banishment was the only option. Ganondorf was now locked in another world and safely away from Hyrule. The Sages had achieved their goal in dealing with the Gerudo King, even though it was not in the way they expected.

Amidst the panic and mourning, they did not notice the solitary sorceress watching them from above. Veran leant against a pillar on the rooftop; cloaking herself in shadows to evade their awareness. She sighed to herself “What a waste… the legacy of the Triforce lives on.”

Sickened and disgusted by this world, Veran warped to the Twilight Realm with the last piece of Midna’s Helm in hand. As the remaining pieces were still in Hyrule, she had to make sure there was the possibility of them being reunited. She then left that Fused Shadow in its historical place as a treasure of the Twili tribe.

 

Veran also swore to never return to Hyrule.


	38. Epilogue

The musky smell of moss and the sound of water flowing down a channel greeted her conscious mind. Sable stared at the ceiling of a very familiar thatched roof. She carefully sat up on the mess of blankets and mattress to find herself in the room she once lived in. She was back in the Southern Swamp, in the attic room of Koume’s tourist hut where she lived for most of her apprenticeship as a mage. Bandages were wrapped around her chest, arms and legs. Her sight was a little blurred from the wrapping around her head. Still she persevered in clothing herself in at least a tunic, trousers and boots so she could vacate the hut.

The closed sign on the door told her to go to the glade near the Woods of Mystery. When they weren’t working, Koume and Kotake were always there to an extent. A short walk in ankle deep water downstream came to a split in the river. The right fork ventured into deeper waters and through the unknown darkness of the swamps to the Deku Palace. The left fork appeared to be shallower, yet the plants were denser. The narrow corridor of trees and rock walls ended in a wide glade with a waterfall cascading down an eastern cliff side. Even in the south, the Stone Towers loomed over the horizon like the Eastern Giant was watching over them.

The shallow river widened to a small lake around a gigantic tree. The trunk was riddled with various ladders and wooden platforms leading to a home among the high branches. A red and white kettle shaped building perched on its nest like a fat bird. Its chimney expelling colourful clouds of smoke that faded into the sky. On the lower platforms were unfathomably large vats and pots that could even fit a Goron in them.

Behind the strange tree house was an ominous opening into the forest. Although the darkness that cloaked the entrance screamed that those were no ordinary woods. The rest of the glade was solid ground with a path leading back to the north. A large fire pit was dug just to Sable’s left on the far side of the glade. A familiar armoured caravan had set up camp near the welcoming flames. The weary horses rested on the soft earth near the clear water.

By the pit was Onox who was watching the embers flare to life beneath his guidance. The darkening sky foretold the encroaching night so a roaring fire was needed promptly. Sable quietly made her way over with determined strides by the time Onox noticed her, she was already in the process of tackling him in a hug. He reciprocated the gestured, holding her close but gently enough so her injuries weren’t aggravated “Please don’t do anything like that again.”

Sable teased “Now you know how I felt when you were imprisoned by the corrupt Fire Sage.”

They then kissed slowly, enjoying each other’s presence and were thankful they both lived to tell the tale.

Eventually the witches, Tatl, Tael and Iris returned from the Woods of Mystery. Their baskets were heavy with various mushrooms; some for food, some for potions and some for poisons.

Tael cheered aloud “Hey Sable! Hey Onox! We’re back!”

Tatl nodded “I can’t believe you’re awake Sable. After what everyone told us, it sounded pretty bad.”

 “I think I’m glad we ended up turning back to stay with Kotake and Koume while they went to Hyrule.” The fairies laughed as they playfully danced through the night.

 “What’s this?” Kotake piped up upon returning to the camp site at the sight of Sable and Onox acting like a couple “When did this happen?”

Koume laughed while they both flew on their brooms “Are we to expect another apprentice in a few years?”

Kotake nudged Koume with her elbow, reluctantly the fire witch handed over a sum of rupees to her smug sister who chimed back “Told you.”

 “Wow, this is unlike you two.” Iris placed her basket of edible mushrooms by the fire pit “I thought you preferred privacy.” She mocked light heartedly “Have you two just been lazy together while we were gone?”

Sable remained in his lap by the fire, not a stitch of clothing had been removed but it was certainly dishevelled “This isn’t all that we’ve been doing.”

Onox reminded and pointed to the hanging carcasses nearby “Yeah, we already caught the fish for dinner.”

 “And to be honest, when you almost die you really want to see your boyfriend after waking up.” Sable nervously shrugged to Iris who was still flummoxed by romance in non-Deku races “We’re not doing anything like that, we’re just really happy to see each other again.”

Kotake scratched her head “How long has this been going on?”

Onox answered “With the alternate timeline in place… a few years. We got serious during the start of the rebellion. It was never anyone’s business so we kept it to ourselves.”

Tatl reluctantly sighed “Maybe Link should’ve gone to you guys for advice on how to talk to Zelda.”

Tael noted “I don’t think Link even realised they were even a thing. He’s not really that observant.”

The caravan door slammed open as Veran emerged back in Termina. Her usual cool, calm demeanour was overridden as exhaustion settled in. The welcome sight of everyone returning to their usual selves invigorated her slightly. Even though Hyrule was lost to the idiocy of the Triforce; Termina reminded her of why she chose to be reincarnated through the ages. There was beauty in the comradery between mortals and the way they could turn the most inhospitable circumstances into a welcoming sanctuary. Before she could take a seat by the fire, Koume and Kotake caught her attention. Koume said “Skull Kid is in the forest sanctum, perhaps you should talk to him.”

Veran offered a curt smile and politely excused herself momentarily. The others promised that a celebratory feast would be ready upon her return.

 

* * *

 

 

When he returned to Termina, Skull Kid remained in the inner sanctum of the Woods of Mystery. From the passing of the sun and moon overhead, he assumed it had been a few weeks since they defeated Bellum’s unpowered form. Miraculous was the word that came to mind. He couldn’t believe that between the five of them they had the power to suppress Bellum. Then again, it was two primordial deities, a mortal reincarnation of a wild deity and two lost souls against him so the odds were definitely in their favour.

He was perched on a large branch watching the eerie monolith glow azure and crimson. He could now actually recall placing it here countless eras ago; when Termina was slowly evolving into a functioning world.

Veran appeared in the clearing below him calling “Skull Kid?”

He flipped down to the forest floor “You’re not calling me, Wanderer?”

 “You seem to prefer Skull Kid, no?”

He paused, thinking the offer over then nodding. He was happy to be Skull Kid. The title meant something to him and reminded him of his humanity.

Veran gently smiled to him “So… Twinrova told me that I should talk to you. Is there anything bothering you?”

 “I… I still can’t believe they would attack Sable… they nearly killed her and she was one of the people who fought for them.” Skull Kid sighed “I still think that Link and I are friends… but now, now I feel horrible because he’s done some bad things.”

 “Link is a good person, it’s just circumstances always push him to do bad things to people who are different.” Veran reassured “Regardless of how we feel, if you and Link are still friends. There is nothing wrong with that.”

 “But I do realise that they probably never want anything to do with a Hylian again.”

 “Yes, but can you blame them?”

 “No, they have every right to be angry.” Skull Kid smiled at her “Thanks Veran. I’m still worried, but I feel better than before.”

 “It’s a process, Skull Kid. Now come on, we’re having a feast tonight. They’ll probably sneak into the Milk Bar later as well.”

 “Sounds like fun.”

Skull Kid and Veran headed off into the Woods of Mystery. They were satisfied with resuming their lives in Termina.

 

* * *

 

 

_Years had passed in a blur as Skull Kid found himself growing true to his title of Wanderer. He found himself meandering between Termina and Hyrule in response to the changing seasons. He watched the slow rebuilding of Castle Town and the development of Kakariko Village into a proper city. He also explored the vast wonders of Termina alongside Veran and her fellow mages, enjoying every Carnival of Time and mystery they uncovered._

_Today in the Lost Woods was amiss. A long spirit wreathed in golden light rushed past, forcing him to stop playing his pipes. It twisted among the trees and landed before him to take the shape a golden wolf with a ruby eye. The other eye was scarred beyond use. The wolf spirit growled and tugged at Skull Kid’s sleeve._

_“Alright big doggy, I’ll follow you!”_

_He kept pace with the celestial beast, the Lost Woods blurred to his senses as their speed increased. Finally the wolf came to a clearing, Skull Kid first noticed the rotting leather of a horse’s saddle that had snapped and fallen. The wolf stood over a deep ditch, lying at the bottom was the corpse of a swordsman. An all too familiar eyepatch rotted against the skull. A unique green hat and tunic were mottled by scavengers and insects._

_Skull Kid made the connection instantly “Link?”_

_The wolf transformed into a tall Stalfos with a single glowing red eye socket. His armour spoke to a bygone age of Hyrule’s history; golden plate with a scary horned helm. Already the metal was corroding and moss ridden, reflective of his death in the Lost Woods. The Stalfos, formerly known as Link whispered in a husky voice “Skull Kid…”_

_“What happened? I thought you’d be happy in Hyrule with Zelda.”_

_“I thought so too… after I realised that I had no place in the Queen’s life. I left Hyrule and lived in peace in Ordona… life was good there, but I was still filled with regret. A year ago… I set out, determined to see Termina again… I wanted to beg forgiveness from you. Veran, Sable, Iris, Onox, you, you were all the heroes who saved Hyrule… yet it is Zelda that has gone down in history as the hero who thwarted Bellum.” The Stalfos nervously looked around himself “Yet no matter where I looked… I couldn’t find Termina’s entrance… I took a wrong turn, Epona was spooked and… here I am.”_

_Skull Kid sympathised with his plight “You can’t move on, a Stalfos means there’s something you need to do… something combat related.”_

_“I am a hero with no story. Everything I ever worked for was undone, everyone I ever saved forgot me.” The Stalfos moaned in despair “I need to pass on my sword, but know of no one who can take up the challenge.”_

_“The Master Sword?”_

_“And the techniques of Ikana that I learned…”_

_Skull Kid knelt before the Stalfos “I’m still your friend Link. I will keep the Master Sword safe, until someone is strong enough to wield it.”_

_The Stalfos nodded “Then I will search the land for one who is capable of doing so.”_

_He transformed into the wolf spirit once more. Skull Kid watched in silence as the fallen hero began his long quest to find an heir to his legacy as the Hero of Time._


End file.
